The Farm 2012

We made our annual pilgrimage to The Farm this week.  Unlike most years, it was NOT a straight-forward drive.  There were 3 (count 'em, 3!) different detours.  On the third detour, we made a turn (I ignored the GPS, "Maggi Ellen", when she tried to tell me to turn down a DIRT road and simply followed the detour signs on this one) and there in front of me was a very s-l-o-w moving coal train.  I'm pretty sure I cursed.  I decided to suck it up and count the cars with the kids.  There were only maybe 4 or 5 cars left when I noticed...something.  I turned to my sister who was riding shotgun and said, "What the heck am I supposed to do now?!?!  LOOK!"  On the other side of the tracks was a combine harvester which took up both lanes of the road (it being a two-lane road is extremely questionable) and then some.  I ended up having to back up into a random driveway and wait it out.  At least the farmer dude in the truck in front waved at me!

But.  We made it.  I took photos of the train and the combine but they're on my phone and I'm just not that savvy.  My Youngest Boy saw me taking pictures and got out his trusty camera and started snapping shots...of houses we passed and I think the occasional tree and/or cell phone tower (sidenote:  I don't think they were cell phone towers as that is the only place I have ever been where I get NO SERVICE.).

 There were kittens for everyone to hold.  Grandma is saying, "Honey!  You're being a little heavy-handed with that 10-day-old kitty!!":

 This kitty and her sisters were in the 6-week-old range.  Old enough to come home with us, but, alas, Mr. MOTH isn't convinced we need a pet.  Yet.

 The kids played a rousing game of hide-n-seek while we caught up with my Aunt E.  Little One's "hiding" spot:

 This photo just cracks me up.  They look like they're about to head out on an African safari, especially with the camera!

We followed Maggi Ellen's (it's a Magellan GPS) route home with no major detours or delays.  And now Baby Girl has embarked on a unique strategy to convince her daddy that she needs a kitten.  It's called "whine, beg, plead" and it's worked for other things so I'm convinced we'll be buying Tidy Cat by the end of the summer. ;)

Festivities

Hope your 4th was full of fun, festivities, fireworks, and fireflies

Water Balloons

Last week, one of my favorite bloggers (Dawn Meehan) posted a link to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry for their Summer Brain Games.  Now, it's no secret that I am a nerd...married to a nerd...raising 4 more so this was right up our alley!  The second week (we skipped the first one) was about a simple machine (lever) and using it to launch water balloons by assembling a catapult.  My parents hooked us up with the second galloon jug (because I only have one milk drinker and we didn't wanna wait) and Mr. MOTH and I gathered all of the other supplies the night before.  Click this link to get the directions.  Or sign up and do the rest of them along with us.  Next week is bottle rockets.  WOOT!

First we assembled our materials and followed the directions (there may have been a few minutes spent chasing a certain 3-year-old around while she ran off with, oh, I dunno, ALL OF IT).

 Then everyone got a turn to launch a balloon:

 And then some enemy artillery came in and, well, we need to regroup our forces:

 Because I am not one to be deterred by something like that, I was prepared to use Plan B for the next day(which was to have a water balloon battle the following day when the temps were higher).  In case you were wondering, this is what 150 (or so) water balloons look like:

 I got this idea from the most recent Family Fun magazine.  I "hid" the balloons around the yard similar to how the neighbor girls hide the Easter eggs.  Each kid got a bucket with the understanding that once the balloons had all been gathered they could hit whomever they wished (including me) with their ammo.  I'm not stupid.  I left about 50 balloons in the sink for MY ammo.

 The "hunt" begins!  These three shot out into the yard in search of the treasure...

 ...and they ran right past these ones!  My Baby Girl, she's smart!

Now, at this point, you're going to have to use your imagination because I wasn't about to allow them to throw water balloons at me while I held my beloved camera.  Yes, it's a point-and-shoot but it's all I've got and I CANNOT live without it.  I was shocked that they ALL enjoyed this.  With a 6-year age-range it's not always easy to find something that everyone likes.  It took me all morning to (stealthily) fill and hide the balloons.  It took 25 minutes for this whole scene to play itself out.  There was only one major meltdown (Oldest Boy COULD NOT get the balloons to break when he hit someone with them.  They just bounced right off and broke on the ground.  Let me just say that I know FOR CERTAIN that he was throwing them hard enough.  I have no idea what was up.).  This is definitely a must-do for next summer and possibly again this year.  Water balloons are cheap.  Making my kids squeal with glee is absolutely PRICELESS.

Sprinkler Fun

It Was Her Turn



Little One is the ONLY one who wouldn't let me take her down when her photo shoot was over.  She said, "You can go away now..."  As if!

A Born Leader

On the last day of school - during Mass - the principal awarded some outstanding students in each grade (one boy, one girl) with the Christian Leadership Award.  Guess who the 1st Grade boy was?

He was SO proud!  So was I, honestly.  It was pretty funny that he won, too, because for about a month before this every time his brother would do something mean to him (and this happens a lot - they're brothers) he would say, "Does that seem like Christian Leadership quality to you?"  His teachers all adore him and I was tickled that he got acknowledged for good behavior in front of the entire school.  This photo was one of the best I could manage - we were sitting in the next-to-last pew but for the first time we weren't in the cry room. 

Jared's Got Nuthin' On Me

Have you seen the Subway commercials where people break things due to their size?  Occasionally with a button flying off of their pants?  I used to laugh out loud (literally) every time I saw one.  Here, take a look:



Well, this this week they could have saved themselves some trouble and just had a camera following me around.  People, in 6 days I had the button fly off of three (3!) different pairs of capris!!  I should mention that I haven't gained a single pound and I've worn these pants many, many times.  Two of them are the same brand, so maybe I could blame it on that but come on!  Cut me a break!  I was really starting to get a complex before the third episode (which, of course, happened while I was trying on dresses for a wedding I'm attending with my husband next weekend).  Add to that a very healthy dose of crazy, PMS hormones and I was a wardrobe accident waiting to happen!!  I currently have 2 dresses hanging upstairs waiting for Mr. MOTH's opinion.  Frankly, dude is scared to tell me what he thinks.  I don't blame him.  I'm *this close* to signing up for boot camp or maybe a half marathon!  Something's gotta give...and I just hope it's not another button!!  I can't even sew!!*

*Mom, can you sew three buttons on for me this weekend?