Caramel Apples

One of the things we did this month to enjoy the season is make mini caramel apples. We found the idea in the Family Fun magazine, and the kids have a great time the whole way through (from the time we make them to the time we eat them). A lot of our during–the-week activities only include Henry and me because they’re a way to keep Henry busy until Olivia gets home from school, but there are a few activities (like this one) when Olivia will not be excluded (they’re either too cool or too delicious, plus we do like to do things with her too), so we did this one together. Olivia and I get to cut out the “mini apples” with the melon baller, and then I let both the kids stick in the popsicle sticks and roll the apples in the yummy stuff. The batch we made last night was to take to Henry’s preschool, but we still enjoyed a few and plan on making a few more batches including one to take to Olivia’s class next week.

Where but o where does time go?

So, what do I do with all the time I have on my hands? I mean, don’t I have all the time in the world now that Olivia is in school all day (from 8 to 2:45), and that Henry has preschool Monday through Thursday from 8:15 to 10:45? At least that’s what people seem to be implying. Well, frankly no, I don’t have all the time in the world. Actually I seem to have less time than last year. It’s true that it’s nice to be by myself for a couple of hours in the morning (by the time I get home after dropping Henry off it’s 8:30 and I have to leave to go get him shortly after 10:30). During these two hours I jog on the treadmill (or speedwalk if I feel like reading at the same time) then I read my scriptures and then I indulge in a peaceful (no bickering children right behind the shower curtain) longer-than-usual shower. I cherish these two hours because after that Henry comes home and the daily complaint begins: “When is Olivia coming home? I’m bored!” No matter what I do with him, it’s the same complaint: “When is Olivia coming home? I’m bored!” So I’m busier than ever trying to find “cool” things for us to do. On Friday I made 4 fresh batches of homemade play dough (our old batches had been dried up for a while so I figured it would feel like a new activity again, and I was right). So to all those who ask what stay-at-home moms do with all their free time, I say, what free time? But we are loving every minute of it. The fruit of my labor: fresh play dough

Olivia following her inspiration

Henry during a creative spell

A smiley face by Olivia

A lizard created by Henry

Henry plays soccer too

So now Henry is on a soccer team also: the Mustangs. I kept finding excuses for not letting him do soccer this year but it was just so that I didn’t have to have soccer practices and games every night between him and Olivia. I was just being selfish. And Henry loves it. He did pretty well for his age. He’s no Ronaldo but then again no one is at his level, it’s pretty funny watching a bunch of 4-year-olds “playing soccer”. The main thing is that he had a great time. He is on the same team as Joseph, one of his two best friends, and Joseph’s mom, Leslie, is the coach, he couldn’t ask for a better team.

An athletic Dad and two very easily amused children

It was a normal Saturday morning. I had gotten the kids their breakfast and gone to le living room to pickup toys when I heard them both busting up. The biggest belly laugh. I was intrigued (and a little nervous that they night be having a food fight I have to admit) so I went to see what was going on. But there was no misbehaving there were laughing at their Dad. He was getting ready to go a bike ride and was wearing a jersey that has pockets on the back. In the pockets, he has stuffed power bars, a Gatorade bottle, and his bike tool kit and apparently it looked hilarious to the kids because they were rolling. I had to laugh too, their laugh was infectious.

Go Sharks!

Olivia started soccer practice this week. Shelby Jo's Dad is the coach and Dad is the assistant coach. They had a lot of fun at their first practice and they decided to call their team the “Sharks”. We don’t know why since Lovelock doesn’t have any large body of water or sharks anywhere close but all but one agreed, they wanted to be called the Sharks. And there is no changing 6-year–old minds. Now the Sharks will practice for a couple more weeks and they will start playing other local teams. It should be fun.

Preschool Starts Again

Henry could not wait for preschool to start again. Preschool is part of the elementary school here in town but for some reason it didn't start until a week after everyone else. He was so excited this morning that he was up before 7 (and remember, he’s the one who like to sleep in ‘til 10) asking “Is it time to go to school yet?”. Henry loves School. He loves his teacher (Miss Brooks, same as last year) and he loves to play and learn with his friends. They do all the normal stuff, like letters and numbers but they also learn about, to mention a few, the sky, things that grow (they grew green beans last year), and bugs (they watched ladybugs eggs hatch, butterflies come out their cocoons). Compared to school staying home with Mom is BORING! I try to make it interesting but apparently Miss Brooks is a lot cooler than me. Preschool is only 2½hours a day Monday through Thursday. But it seems to be enough to make it tolerable for him to be “Mommy’s little buddy” (Olivia’s term) for the rest of the time.