Fruit of the Spirit

I could just eat up this baby for breakfast every morning! : )  He is soo sweet.  He did this all on his own-it's one of his favorite things to do.  All the cars are lined up to race.  From left to right, there are the Speed Racer cars, then the Hot Wheels cars, all the way to a huge red racer at the end.  So..he's kinda getting some freakish organizing genes from me, but at least he didn't group them by color! : )  And he has the cutest Toy Story cars, that are all shaped like characters, but he didn't group those either, so we'll still call him Normal. ; )

My biggest babies were back to school today, and it was good.  They were ready, and I was ready.  I couldn't wait to mop my floor!  (I know, he doesn't get Normal from me.)  It's just been all chaos for a couple weeks, and I've been craving clean.  Ethan and I played a Cranium game (and we tied), then cars, then I started more laundry and sheets, and worked on the kitchen.  I felt this cooking shiver go down my spine, and I had to obey.  It doesn't always strike twice!

Do you ever have these sitting out at your house?  We always do.  We buy bananas about 3x a week, and this is what happens.  I *love* them this way (or maybe how they looked yesterday), and Ches likes them green (he has monkey genes?).  But, after one day looking like this, they are trash.  I always intend to make banana bread, but it never happens.  One of the things I've resolved to do (is that far enough away from resolutions?) is to read aloud more with Ethan (Ches has almost taken over!) : ( and to send love to school with my kids.  One of the ways I can do this is to bake for them.  I baked the bread, and I've already made their school lunches for tomorrow-each with banana bread (and they don't even know!).  I always send the same thing, so it'll be a huge surprise. (along with their cauliflower and cucumbers..)

Does this ever happen to you?

I use half bleached flour and half whole wheat (yeah, yeah, it's healthy and tastes the SAME!), but look what happens when you sift it.  Ha!  All the "fiber" is the last to fall through.  Kinda ick.

Here are the fiber-ous bits that I just had to throw away.  If they can't make it through, they are out.  They looked very... um.. wheat-y.

This is how I cut Mary Claire's slice.  First, I add up all the ingredients' carbohydrates, then I divide by 10 (a decent slice size).  Then, I cut the loaf in half, then in fifths, then give her one from the middle, so it's the right amount.  (The end is smaller, and the center is bigger.)  Hers is the little slice to the left of center, no-the skinny one!

 

 

 

And then the cooking Began.  I had a turkey that I was pretty sure was thawed, so I washed him, and got him ready to roast, and set him back in the fridge.  Are you aware it only takes three good hours to bake a huge 17 pound turkey?  That's nothing.  I had to wait till 2pm to put him in!
So, I made cornbread.  I mean, what's turkey without dressing?  (and I'm still having amazing dreams about my sweet potatoes! and still eating them everyday for lunch..)  My mom got me a new dish, so I had to try it out.  Very Pretty.  I just make cornbread, add all the *magic*, and then stir and bake it in the same dish!  (less to clean?)  Then, I set about finishing laundry, cleaning upstairs, remaking beds with fresh sheets, and putting away clothes.  Then..vacuuming (my vacuum sucks hahahaha, but it's kinda broken.  When you push the button to the right, the brush is supposed to turn while the suction works, but it smells-rubber burning-and I didn't have time to unscrew and fix the belt.  So, I vacuumed the house without the brush turning.  My rugs actually say to use suction only, but I like them super clean-have you ever lifted your rugs-there's dirt that filters down there!  ..Am I still inside the parentheses?)
Anyway, Ches took Ethan to see Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, and that's why I had time to rush around and get so much done.  I am twice as fast alone.  Ches has learned, if he takes the kids out for an hour, he comes home to miracles! : )

So, for our "activity" tonight, we made Shrinky Dinks-and be prepared, it's fun, obsessive, and can morph into hours!
Here's a picture Mary Claire took of our Before (heat):

We bought the Crystal Clear ones, and they are pretty thin, almost like overhead transparencies to start.

Then you crowd around to watch the magic happen...

And Voila!  We couldn't stop!  We made necklaces, cars for Ethan, "letters", and even a Razorback, in honor of the Sugar Bowl tonight! : )  Go Hogs Go!

And here are my favorites.  The first says in pink, on the back "Galations 5:22" (fruits of the spirit), and the front in black are faithfulness, kindness, generosity, patience, joy, peace, and love.  That's all that would fit!  (Self-control? Maybe next time?  It didn't fit!)

Thank you, Ches, for holding it up so I could focus the camera-it's so tiny!

This is for Ethan's teacher, one of my sweet friends.  She's precious, and helped the kids make necklaces with fingerprints for moms for Christmas.  This is not the same, but it's for her.  It has the pink on the back, and black on the front, kind of 3D! Then I added fruits of the spirit around the scalloped edges.  It's hard to see here, and even harder to photograph!

Shrinky Dinks are for sure one of my favorite new toys!  Anyone can do them, and they are awesome gift tags and charms..ahh, fun.  Ooo..they'd be perfect for a gift!  Maybe I could make them to go in Ethan's gift bags for his party Saturday?  Precious!

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Galations 5:22²³