Mama On The Move

We just got back from a family reunion in Georgia.  If we had not stopped for anything, it would have been a ten hour trip, each way.  We stopped of course.  We had to have meals, restrooms, and gasoline occasionally. Just as we crossed into Georgia, Kerry and I spotted four vultures circling over one side of the road.  We pointed them out to the girls.  I can't remember the last time they saw vutures. "Look girls, those are buzzards.  Do you know why they are circling?  It means there's something dead or dying on the ground." "It's probably humanity," responded Emily.

When we moved to Illinois, we found things as we were unpacking that we really didn't want any more.  We had boxes around the house that we would toss items in if they were destined for a thrift shop.  One of the last things to go in the box, or actually, across the top of the box because it was full, was an old sleeping bag shaped like a teddy bear.  I think it was originally Ben's and was handed down to each of the girls over time.  They all had loved it, but everyone is too tall for it now, so it had to go. Until.... Ringo noticed it and actually used his teeth to drag it off the box so he could lay on it. And as soon as Rigger saw this....  ....he began to covet. He took the teddy sleeping bag for his own as little brothers will do. And Ringo has never touched it again, as big brothers are clearly too mature for a mere child's sleeping bag that he wasn't really interested in anyway.  It matters not which way Rigger lays,...

Emily had to do an experiment for Biology this week.  It's one we've done before, several times actually, so we knew what would happen. She had to take a fresh, uncooked egg, cover it in pure vinegar, and let it sit for a week.   What happens, as we knew it would, is that the vinegar eats the shell off the egg.   It's very interesting to see a shell-less egg, still in egg-shape.  You can see right through that thin white membrane that always makes it so difficult to peel a hard-boiled egg.   I was planning to take a picture of it to share with you. Instead, I have a picture of this:  The splat that it makes, as Emily tosses it from one hand to the other and misses. And a picture of Emily washing the splat off her feet after she cleaned the kitchen floor.

Sometimes when you look through your child's Biology notebook.....

We have not actually trick or treated in years.  We've been going to our church's fall festival (which is essentially the same thing - dress up in a costume, get candy) but now that we've moved, we decided to just stay home and hand out candy. The kids, of course, decided to dress up and prowl around the neighborhood.  Ben and Emily are past the age of candy begging, but they still like to dress up. I like to think they take after their mother.  Ben went as Slender Man.  Google it if you don't know who that is.  I don't have time to tell you everything you need to know, people!  Katie went as a lemonade stand.  The "lemonade" was actually jello so that it wouldn't slosh everywhere.  Emily was a fortune telling machine.  She even had little slips of paper with fortunes on them that she would hand out in exchange for candy since she couldn't actually trick or treat for candy. There's always a way of getting around...

We went out to eat this morning, just Kerry, the girls, and me.  We picked a cute little breakfast restaurant that we had heard good things about. It took about fifteen minutes to get a table, apparently people like to eat out on Saturday mornings; who knew?  So by the time we were seated, we had already perused the menu and we ordered right away.  Our waiter was a friendly, chatty type with an emo haircut.  Usually when they are really friendly and joke around with us, I think they are aiming for a good tip.  Well, I know they are trying to get a good tip.  I've done my time waitressing; I know what I know. He checked on us a lot.  He asked how the food looked, then came back to find out how it tasted.  He asked if we needed refills three or four times.  Usually I can't find the waiter when I need him, especially when the restaurant is packed.  Katie and Emily had each gotten a lemonade (for breakfast !) and refills weren't free so...

We were thrilled recently to score tickets to a Casting Crowns concert.  I had hoped to find a concert around Christmas so it could be a gift for the kids.  But, there happened to be only one close enough for us to get to is and it was this month.  It was on a Thursday night and it was a three hour drive but Kerry and I talked about it and decided it would be worth it.  Casting Crowns is Emily's favorite Christian band and we knew she would be beside herself over it.  Plus she caught me looking at concert dates so I couldn't hide it after that. Not only did we get to see Casting Crowns, but there were two great opening acts!  Kerrie Roberts, who sings "No Matter What" and "Outcast" came out first and treated us to four or five songs. Then, out came Kristian Stanfill who is from Georgia like us which means we probably know somebody who knows somebody who knows his mama and daddy.  That's how it works back home, we are all connected somewher...