Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Keeping Cool in the Heat

This summer has been unlike any other summer of my adult life. I am not working out of the home, I have five children currently in my care, and our budget has been tighter than ever. None of those are bad things, in my opinion. Each of those points has been something that I have been able to take a great deal from. Today, the temperatures are slowly skyrocketing. Even my nephew didn't want to stay outside too long this morning. My fair-skinned little Reds have no business being outdoors in the blistering heat. I asked myself last night, "How will I keep them occupied and entertained and not feel like I am holding them back from having a fun summer? Ah ha! Lets have a movie day! I turned on the Blu-Ray and popped in Cars. The kids were instantly excited. Well, all of them except for the babies, who weren't really sure what we were doing. I turned off all the lights, turned up all the ceiling fans, and now they are chilling out, watching a Cars/Pixar Movie Marathon while I scribble this down (okay, type it up). I also have laundry going, which could not be avoided, so lights off and fans on will help keep the house temps down. I normally do laundry late at night in the summer time, but the kids needed clothes, LOL! I want to post something else up later tonight about my most favorite Food Network cooks, the Pioneer Woman, and the onslaught of people I found that can't stand her. It's really been an eye opener!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

A Visit with Emma (and the OTHER Mr. and Mrs. Chopped Liver!)

Well, Mr. and Mrs. Chopped Liver is a nickname lovingly given to my husband and I at almost the minute Big Red was born. From that moment on, we were no longer Jared and Hilly, we were Big Red's parents, or better yet, Mr. and Mrs. Chopped Liver. It makes us laugh every time we hear it and around my Father-in-Law, we refer to ourselves with that name. So I am referring to my brother and sister-in-law as the OTHER Chopped Liver couple :). Enough about the background of our silly nickname...a couple of weeks ago, my brother and sister-in-law made an impromptu visit to my in-laws' house and our kids got to play together. Miss Emma is two months and three days older than Baby Red. Their interaction is so precious! Two cousins, just hanging around. I really hope that they get to be as close as my cousin Karen and I are. We are a month and a week apart, which was always important, at least until we turned 30, LOL! Aunt Carolyn and Great Grandma were visiting and we were excited to take some pictures with Great Grandma L. Such precious memories! Everyone smile!!! Here is a special one... Miss Emma and Great Grandma! Little Red wanted to get in on the action too! What a big girl!