Hunger Games at Our House

A few years ago, when K-boy was in third grade, he started getting more into chapter books. Like a good mom, I would listen to him read aloud and correct any mispronunciations. It was good, quality time spent together.

Eventually, around fourth grade, he went looking for more exciting books packed with action and drama. He found a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the library and quickly became engrossed in it. I wanted to make sure that he was comprehending what he read, so when he was done with a chapter, he would pass it on to me to read, and then we'd have lovely discussions about the plot and characters. We moved through the whole series this way. Soon it became an established pattern with us. Whenever he read something he wanted me to read it too, because he welcomed my opinion.

Fast forward a to the present time. K-boy is twelve, and still an avid reader. M-girl, at eight has discovered the wonders of chapter books too, and much of my time is spent reading with her. D-boy is entering first grade, and is in the early stages of literacy (again time-consuming for me).

I'll admit I haven't been able to keep up with K-boy's reading lists for me. I've got a stack of books on my nightstand that I've fallen behind on. To be honest, when he brought home, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins I was less than enthusiastic. I'd heard the hype, and frankly the thoughts of reading about a futuristic, distopian society did nothing for me.

To give K-boy credit, he finished it in two days and urged me to read it. I procrastinated. It wasn't until I was renewing library books online the other day and I realized that I couldn't renew the book that I finally decided to read it. I figured I ought to talk to my adolescent son about any disturbing imagery in the book.

I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. I spent the last couple of days speed reading about the adventures of Katniss and Peeta, returned it on time, and now I want more.

Here's the thing. K-boy has managed to get into the good graces of a librarian (imagine that, a librarian who likes a kid who reads) and secured a highly in demand copy of the next book, Catching Fire. So I suggested to my sweet son that seeing how we've both read the first book now, wouldn't it be sooo much fun to read the second book like we used to? Share after every chapter?!

He said no with a smirk on his face. He knows how much I want to read it now.

Well, tonight he happens to be out of the house. While I was putting laundry away in his room I may have happened to glance around to see if I could find the book. You know, to see what page he's on. This is what I found.

When my hand accidentally knocked aside those papers on his desk...this was revealed.

Yes, he hid it! From me, his mother! It's like he doesn't trust me or something!

Well, heehee! Two can play at this game. I'm going to read the first chapter while he's gone. Then I'll leave it on my nightstand. Let the games begin, K-boy!

linking to:  Finding the Funny

This Is What Happens When...

This is what happens when you buy the super sized containers of baking soda and vinegar (because you're cheap frugal that way) and then do a volcano project with your kids. And then you leave the room.

At least they stopped before the baking pan overflowed! See kids, science is fun!

The Lie My Husband Told Me

On the whole my husband and I have a really good marriage. Great even. After almost 16 years the room still brightens for me when he walks in. I think I do the same for him.

Still one of the keys to a successful marriage is knowing when to forgive and move on. We are human after all. Everyone makes mistakes and errors in judgement. So when I tell you all about the time that my hubby lied to me, know that I am not holding a grudge. Not really. I'm just still living with the consequences.

You see, almost three years ago when he got a job transfer and we were looking for our current house, he told me something that affected our whole lives. He told me that you don't need central air conditioning in upstate New York. Since he grew up here, I believed him. It was winter when we were house-hunting, and I was more concerned with heat and fireplaces than warm weather comforts.

So we ended up buying our current house, a roomy four bedroom, with a large yard....and no air conditioning. I'm sure it will come as no surprise that his falsehood was revealed during the first heat wave of the following summer. Then he fancy-talked his way out of my righteous anger by promising to buy window air conditioners.

This is our third summer in the house, and so far he has purchased two. For a four bedroom home. Not to mention that we homeschool and are here a lot. Sigh!

We make do the best we can with lots of fans and plenty of cold beverages. It does a lot for the look of a room, don't you think?

As if to pour salt in my wounds, he waltzes off to his air-conditioned office every weekday, leaving us here to swelter and dream of winter.

Thank goodness we have a pool!

linking to:  Finding the Funny, Yeah Write, Pour Your Heart Out

Dog Party

This morning at breakfast, M-girl asked me the date. At my reply, she gasped in dismay,"Oh no, we missed Trinket's birthday!"

Trinket is the dog. Somehow, I managed to contain my guilt.

D-boy quickly jumped on the bandwagon. "Poor Trinket needs a cake!"

Really? For a dog?

After consulting with Trinket, the kids decided that we needed to make a marble cake with chocolate frosting. We were out of sugar, so I added that to the shopping list and we headed off to the store. While we were there, they talked me into buying ice cream for the dog's birthday celebration. Yeah, I'm a pushover for ice cream. In my defense it was cookie dough!

We got home and made the cake. I let the kids help a lot with making it, including greasing and flouring the pans. I later came to regret that, when the cakes wouldn't come out of the pans in one piece. Luckily a double batch of frosting fixed everything. D-boy even made Trinket's profile out of pretzels. Super fancy stuff.

Finally after dinner, we all gathered to sing happy birthday to the birthday dog. Then we sent her away while we ate cake and ice cream, because well...she's a dog!

Happy 5th birthday little, dastardly dog!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Sometimes when we're in the mood to bake something around here, we just can't agree on what to make. Recently M-girl wanted to make No Bake Cookies, D-boy emphatically did not, and K-boy just wanted something chocolaty and sweet. It was clear to me that the only solution was to wing it and invent something. Some of our best recipes are born this way. Our efforts that day turned into Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies. One taste and all the complaining stopped. I just love cookies like that!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

1 cup chunky peanut butter
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup pasteurized egg product
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1&1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large mixing bowl combine peanut butter, canola oil, eggs, vanilla and sugars. Mix until smooth.

Add dry ingredients, combining well.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Yields about 5 dozen cookies.


Linking to these parties: Share What You Did This Week, It's A Piece O'Cake Linky Party, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Earning My Cape

What Holiday?

Is it possible to get a 4th of July redo? Because I'd like one. Really, for our family the 4th was....just not celebratory.

First of all, it started out on the wrong foot this year by being on a Wednesday. BadDad only got one day off. He couldn't even use vacation time to make a long weekend, since too many people at his office already did just that. After all someone actually has to be there doing work.

I had resigned myself to having the best possible time with our one day holiday. Then, on the morning of the 4th, M-girl woke up at 6 am, sick to her stomach. Her nausea continued all day long. She also had a bit of a fever, made worse by the fact that it was 90 plus degrees, and we don't have central air.

Still, we didn't give up on the day. BadDad and D-boy worked on renovations to the powder room. I did my usual chores, and played nurse to M-girl. K-boy went swimming with a friend. We even had a steak dinner (which was really good by the way).

Then, after dinner, I noticed that our little dastardly dog didn't seem to be walking right. In fact she was not putting weight on one of her back paws at all. I don't know about you, but when an animal is sick, in the midst of my sympathy, I start seeing vet bills. Big ones. I did a bit of online research about her symptoms (always the best way to go, I know). What I found was enough to keep me up at night.

It turns out that I didn't need that worry to ensure a sleepless night. After watching fireworks on TV (there was no chance of getting to a live show) M-girl moaned and tossed until after midnight. When she was finally settled, I managed an hour or so of sleep before awaking to the sound of K-boy starting with the same virus as his sister.

My hubby left for work this morning with a grin on his face. He knows he's escaping a day of tending to sick kids and dogs.

Happily the dog seems to be on the mend this morning, and she's actually walking. So much for online symptom checking! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the kids recover quickly. Then, if it's not to much to ask, I'd like a redo on the holiday. I seem to have missed this one.

Pure Water Flavoring

Grocery trips these days have me feeling like I've run a marathon. Not that I've ever run a marathon, but I did place first in the 400 yard dash in 4th grade...sooo.

I digress. With three growing children, my cart is full to overflowing. I'm the lady the cashiers groan to see coming. I got to thinking about how to lighten the load, both in the cart and on my wallet.

I realized last year that my kids were drinking far too much juice. If I brought home a bottle, that's all they would want to drink. They would consume far more than the daily recommendation, and then we would be completely out of juice until the next shopping trip.

Last year when Crystal Lite came out with their Pure Water Flavoring, I decided to give it a try. Rather than follow the package directions and pour a powder packet into a single serving water bottle, I filled up a two quart pitcher with ice-water and added one packet to that. The result was water with just enough flavor so that my kids would drink it, and it's budget friendly.

I feel better having my family drink more water. The Pure Flavorings are all natural, and low calorie, sweetened using the leaves of the stevia plant. Recently many stores have come out with their own brands of natural water flavoring, making them even more economical.

Now we save juice for special occasions (like weekends) and I've only got to toss a small box or two of water flavoring into my cart each week. If I could just find a smaller alternative to the gallons of milk and bushels of fruit that I buy, and I could switch to a little shopping cart!