What's going on?

What's Going On?

I have created a monster!

Around Christmas 2008 I made a batch of soap as Christmas gifts and it was a total hit. A little research later and I have 9 different soaps that sell out on a regular basis! (Yes, I know there are 2 of the same pics of the soap.) I am missing Cucumber Melon and the Goat Milk Soap.

I just can't seem to stop making these soaps! Yes, there are several "failed" batches, but I shave those down and heat them up again to make a "Hot Process" soap. I plan to make a SPF soap for Patrick to use for work. I think I'll add a little Castor oil to heal the damage already made ...

SEE! I just can't stop! So many ideas, things to create, festivals to go to!

In the works are a triple chocolate soap that will actually have real chocolate, a new batch of Oatmeal & Honey with local honey added, and soap ornaments for Christmas, oh, oh, and a soap fragrance for men, and lotions, a shampoo for dogs, salt scrubs, sugar scrubs ... the list gets longer and longer!

A Fly On The Wall

If you were a fly on the wall at our house over the weekend, you may or may not have heard the following conservation:

"Dad, you need to take those shorts off and put on some long pants."

Dad laughs and looks at me.

"Why, Seth? Why does Dad have to take off his shorts? It's hot outside. He can wear shorts if he wants to."

"Mom, Dad has ugly legs."

"What!? Where did you hear that?"

"MOM! Everyone in Pamplico knows that. Mr. Stan and Mr. Tim said he don't need to be walking around Pamplico with those legs showing. Dad, go change!"

Yes, I can't remember what happened after that. I had a fit of laughter and blacked out for a moment.

I got a medal today

I got a medal today from Jordan.

He said he had a surprise for me and I had to close my eyes and lean down. Then he slipped his medal from school over my head.

I asked him why I should get a medal.

He said because I love him.

I don't know if I deserve a medal just for loving him. Maybe it is a foretelling of the future? I hope not.

But I'll treasure the medal with all my heart.

Candy Eating Day

I have created a new holiday in our house. I call it Candy Day. It always falls on the Saturday after Halloween and it is a special day in our house.

On this day the custom is to eat only Candy. As much as you want, when you want to, however there are a few special rules that apply. 1) You have to share the chocolate with me, 2) you have to throw the paper in the trash and 3) when I say the secret word, you have to stop what you are doing and go brush your teeth.

On this day you don't have to eat any real food if you don't want to. Candy is all the nutrition you need on this day. Many times that day you will hear me yell, "Eat your candy, young man. You haven't had enough yet." or "If you don't eat your candy, you will be hungry all day."

Would you be surprised to know that at the end of the day they are so sick of candy that they want to eat a real dinner and don't ask for candy anymore?

I'm sure I'll live to regret this day, but for now we are looking forward to "Candy Day" on Saturday, Nov 1st this year.

Dinner Table Bites

We eat dinner together at the table every chance we get. I love the fact that we can sit down and eat, talk and laugh with each other almost every day. I also like the focus of sharing the food that God has given us for this week.

When growing up we ate dinner together too, but I was not always very thankful for the type of food we had to eat. Now I can choose what we eat, but the boys are not always happy with the choice!

We have tried several ways to get the boys to eat something so they are not hungry and ask for something 10 minutes later. We have found a way that works for us.

For some reason the small amount of food on their plate seems overwhelming to them. One bite is like one minute to them. It is an eternity.

So we play a counting game. They have to take as many bites as they are old and I get to say what a "bite" is. Sometimes a bite can be a taste and sometimes a bite should fill their mouth. 'Cause really its a game. After their alloted number of bites, they can get down and are finished eating.

This works for us in a quiet location such as a restaurant or even dinner with Grandparents. Quietly saying "3 more bites" and counting together will impress the Grands so much we look like super parents.

Now we change it up and see how many bites are left on their plates, or 5 bites of one veggie and 5 bites of the meat. But never ask them to take just ONE bite. Ours boys will refuse, knowing they are not 1 anymore, but 5!

It's amazing how many times they actually eat everything on their plate and ask for more to get their number of bites in! This also has encouraged them to try something new that is on their dinner plates that evening!
Oh, sometimes, just for a change, I'll let them choose the pot or pan they want to eat out of. 'Cause really, it is not about what you eat from, its actually getting it in their belly, right?

Dinner Conversation Continued

We have lovely dinners on Sunday. I cook dinner and then after church we pack it up and serve it at Brooks' parents house. It gives her a day off from preparing and cooking and gives me an extra day of practice!

Many of our dinner conversations are typical of other families, but some are a little out of the ordinary. One Sunday, Seth told us that he made babies at school.

Well, I knew they were educating them but baby making at age 6? I just had to know.

From the corner of my eye I saw Brooks' dad hunker down a little more over his plate trying to ignore the conversation. I caught his mothers eye, who had a questioning look in her eyes. I looked at Seth and asked, "So, how did you make babies at school?" I really wanted to know.

"Well, you take a blue circle if your a boy and a pink circle if you are a girl, then you add two white circles then a beige (he knew beige) circle or brown circle and add the ears and eyes and hands and that's it. You glue it all together and you have a baby. B is for baby did you know that?"

"Oh, so your baby was made of paper!"

"Yep, and I made mine a boy"

Well, it didn't stop there. I looked at Jeannene to Jed and back to Seth. I just had to know, so I asked. "So, how do those paper babies get in the mommies tummies?"

Jed cough and spit out his dinner, Jeannene said, "Now Sherri, we don't need to know everything!"

"Mom, you don't put paper babies in the mommies tummies! That's too silly!"

Of course it is.

The Dinner Table

Many things happen at our dinner table. The boys are hyped up by their day and want to share, Brooks has his day he wants to share about and I just want to put ear plugs and have no noise at all!

On Sundays, we have started having dinner at Brooks' parents house. It gives us time with them and allows Jeannene a day off from having to prepare and cook a meal. I love doing this. It also gives the boys time to 'dinner' talk to Great Mema & Great Papa.

One of the many things that are said at the dinner table is "Ok, you'd better eat or you won't get any muscles" or "OK, stop talking now and eat so you will grow up strong like Great Pepa." Then the show of muscles and typical poking goes on. Bites are taken and, yep, I can see a difference there, try another. This goes on and on until their plates are empty or their tummies are full. This happens at ALL the dinners. It's a tradition now.

One night, Great Mema wanted to get in on the muscle poking, but her muscles are hanging down now. Jordan sat back and seemed kind of sad because she couldn't make a muscle and was trying to solve the problem.

Seth kindly informed Jeannene that someone let the air out of her "muskles" and it would be alright. A few minutes later Jordan fixed the problem by explaining to Mema that she needed to pump hers back up and he would find the tire pump for her when dinner was over.

So there you are folks, be careful that someone doesn't let the air out of your muscles and if they do you can always pump it up with the bicycle tire pump.

Stay tuned for our dinner conversation about making babies . . .