Whew!

This has been a busy week. Paul and Adam left Monday, it was the last week of James' t-ball, we had a picnic lunch with Peege, and VBS was also this week. It's overall been pretty good. We had a lovely playdate with our neighbor friends (best neighbors evah, except of course the Jensens!) and we are going to see (and consult on a repair project for) the new house of a friend who bought in Williams Woodland. Can't wait! Here are a few shots of James' tball. I will post about Paul and Adam later. I am currently slightly jealous that they are in Chicago and hoping they are having a blast!

Cyclists share coast-to-coast cause | The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN

Cyclists share coast-to-coast cause | The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN

These are the guys that stayed over the weekend. Their cause is great!

Got that Pouch done Just In Time

Birdie lost her first tooth!

WIP

A little work in progress to hold Birdie's tooth when it comes out so the tooth fairy can find the thing under her pillow. It will be a little pillow with a pocket when it is finished that will hold her baby teeth when she goes to sleep and a little present when she wakes up. I've seen these things on craft blogs, most of the people who post them have actual talent and lots of it. As for me, I took their ideas and mangled them into this. It's going to be super cute, and she's pretty excited. Now we just have to get that tooth out before PJ comes home and takes some pliers to it!

A little Martha Love in the Tummy

We are on Week 2 of the Summer CSA from Graber Farms. I really could not be more pleased. There have been a lot of salads, and the kids are loving the strawberries. I used to go to the grocery on Mondays, but now I wait till we get the box to plan the meals. This week there were some beautiful snow peas, and I had a red bell pepper in the fridge, so I thought I'd do a stir fry. Meijer had shrimp on sale (I know, Meijer?) really reasonably, so I decided to flip through the old cookbooks and see if I could find something to put it all together.


This was part of a gift given to me by one who knows me well. And this little gem didn't disappoint. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, so I whipped out the rice cooker and got to work on the stir fry.

I made a couple of adjustments. First, I added the red bell pepper. Second, as I am occasionally multitasking (pouring a glass of wine, tending to the children, etc.) I didn't read the entire recipe all the way through before skipping a vital section where the lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar are stated to be served on the side. This information made it's way to my prefrontal prelateral cortex (thanks Dr. Fawver!) after it was poured into the pan. Oops. Seriously, oops. I grabbed some corn starch to thicken it up, and all together it wasn't that bad. It was actually really good. After it was in my bowl I added some crushed red pepper, and it was super tasty. It even got a mention from the Mister (who came in really late from volleyball and found it so good that he mentioned it in the morning!). So I believe it is a repeater. I will use chicken or even tofu as a sub for the shrimp in the future. Quick and easy. Just like Martha likes 'em.

Parkview Field

This morning there was a rally to show support for keeping Navistar in Fort Wayne. I have a big interest in this as one of my dearest friends' husband (also a good friend) works at Navistar, and I don't wish for them to move away. Their son is James' bestie, for crying out loud! So I spoke to said dear friend this a.m. and she suggested a little rally action, followed by a picnic lunch and some fun at the splash pad right there in the ballpark. Of course, we were in. It was a blast. It's so nice that the field is open to the public when there are no games being played. There is a place to have lunch, the fan shop is open so one could buy Tincaps gear, and there are even signs stating that the length of the concourse once round is a third of a mile. We saw folks walking the concourse, walking through, sitting and lunching, and of course, enjoying the splash pad. The supporters of this field should feel proud. It's pretty great. James is ready to go back right. now. Never mind that he is asleep, exhausted from play. He'd go if I said I'd take him. I didn't snap any pics of the rally, but there were a fair number of folks in attendance. The city even drove their Navistar trucks down, which James really liked!

Surprise!

So the Big Four Oh just whizzed by. Technically, I am in my forties. Over. The. Hill. But Herr Thuringer salved the wound by purchasing a big surprise prezzie for the big day. An ipod touch. Holy crap was that ever a whopper. A good present from Peege is no shocker, but this specific one was. Bigger than anticipated. It's so fun. As a thank you I cleared out my little ipod (the nano he got me for xmas a few years ago!) and put on his song library. Now he can rock through his days. And I can rock, podcast, look at pictures, watch youtube videos, check the weather, check and send emails, etc. etc. etc. So if I am not around these parts for a little while, please understand and be patient. School is out, I have two chickens in sports, and a shiny new toy to play with.

Love,
The Old Lady
photo courtesy of Google Images

Video Friday

I've gotten James weaned off the Damien Walters video. But only by watching this one. I love this one. I found it last year, and the song reminds me of when the Real Geeks Ride guys, Joe and Carlos, were here. It was really nice to have them here. Anyhow, here it is. It doesn't hurt this guy is Scottish. I know I am Irish thru and thru (Great grandparents born in Ireland and all) but I have a soft spot in my heart for a Scottish bloke. (Craig Ferguson, James McAvoy, Ewan MacGregor, and now this dude.) While you are watching, I will go make sure that James is not in the garage getting out his bike and trying tricks. He has already tried to stand on the seat of it and proclaimed this video as "sick". I may be in trouble.

James and I have been watching this seemingly in all of our spare time for the last two days. He enjoys the music almost as much as the movement. He tells me he wants to do this when he grows up. I said he'd have to start now-and practice would consist of more than his current routine of jumping on the couch or jumping from couch to beanbag chair. He is only moderately interested in starting now. My mother's heart is slightly relieved, but I may look into gymnastics for him. It's pretty sweet. Enjoy

Wednesday

So today is not being looked upon by me as being "top ten" material. This morning on the way to take the kids to school I was running a few minutes behind and got stopped by a train. The kids got to school on time, tho. Then I took James over to his school, and when I got there they asked if I had a present for chapel. There was a flyer sent home that the kids were donating gifts for a "baby shower" to help little ones with special needs. Of course I did not. I thought it was next week!!! So off I go before I head to Ava's school to the store to pick up some diapers, rash cream, a rattle and gift bag. I suppose it worked out as I had additionally neglected to pick up something for Ava's teacher for teacher appreciation week. So while I was there I got her a thank you card and a little gift. Then off to Ava's school, late, where I begin making copies for the take home readers and in the middle of the first batch I run out of toner. I go back to the office (almost the opposite side of the bldg) to get the toner, then replace it, and finish copies. Finish my work in the class a few minutes late, and go to get Jam Master James. I get out onto Anthony without incident, and figure this will help me make up a few minutes, but at Creighton I get diverted by a policewoman. Anthony is closed heading north. So I detour, Creighton to Hanna then Berry back to Anthony, but was a couple of minutes late to pick up James. I was pretty dejected about the day at this point, but the sweetest boy on the planet sees me, flashes the biggest smile, and hands me a card with his handprints in it and a marigold planted in a mug. The bad stuff melted away. Sweet!
Things seemed to take a turn for the better as he was extremely well behaved at Meijer. I found only two New Belgium folly packs left, which of course I purchased, and one thing of my hair product left, which I purchased. I did not look upon this as a bad thing, as I needed only one hair thing and it will take us a while to get through 24 beers. I went through my blogs and websites when James had quiet time and saw on weather.com we are going to probably get some rain tonight, so I thought I would get ahead of the game and mow the lawn. I got through the back yard easier than last week, but alas, I think I had used up all my good fortune, as halfway through the front yard the damned thing BROKE.
Do you think John is trying to tell me something?

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

So a few weeks ago we attended the 2nd annual Fort Wayne Cherry Blossom Festival. It was a celebration of Japanese culture. There was Taiko drumming (which Ava was all about after they visited her school the few days before the festival), sumi-e demonstrations, bonsai exhibits, free admission to the art museum where there was a manga drawing contest and where they had a reasonable amount of Japanese art (nothing as good as my Yoshi, tho!). There was also a origami exhibit with regular sized specimens and some really big ones too-dinosaur origami! Aaaarrrgh! So fun. But my favorite part was a Haiku competition for the wee ones. I love haiku and find myself composing it often when stressed out or in ridiculous situations to calm myself down. So of course, the kids were going to enter. Ava had just learned about haiku a couple of weeks before at school, so she was super excited. Of course, not to be left out, James wanted to do one too. Earlier in the day, bored with the Taiko drums (???) he and PJ had set out to do some exploring around Friemann Square. They found an expired duck and a plastic toy soldier. The soldiers gun was so big James decided it must be from outer space, so he referred to his new favorite toy as his Spaceman. This spaceman was the source of some gnashing of teeth earlier when it came out of James' pocket and yours truly had to go find him. Thankfully, I did, and not much later we went inside and partook of some haiku. I do not remember Ava's, however, James' was this:

Steve is my monkey
Spaceman is in my pocket
I love mac and cheese

The gentleman at the table accepting submissions was over the moon with this haiku. It is really lovely, as far as I am concerned, too. We left not thinking much beyond "That was so fun!"
Fast forward a few weeks and in the mailbox we find a letter stating James had won the contest! There was a reward certificate, the original haiku entry, a blue ribbon, and $20!
Everyone was pretty stoked. When asked what he was going to do with the winnings, James told me that I was going to take him to Target today so he could get a Nerf gun. I just hope he doesn't want one as big as Spaceman's!

I am back! (But for how long, really?)

Okay, I know that my husband wants this blog to consist mostly of pictures of his adorable offspring because their grandmother and grandfather miss them terribly. I get that. I have a gazillion pictures I need to put on the computer and edit (Yes, PJ, have you met me? Of course I am going to edit them!) But that is not happening right now. Oh noes. Right now you are going to get an earful about my latest desire. I want a John Deere lawn mower. Not a super phat rider, mind you. Just your run of the mill, noise polluting, carbon monoxide spewing lawn mower. No more reel mower for me. No more pushing and sludging through 3 day old grass on ramming speed. No more minute pieces of mulch getting trapped in the blades and rudely bringing ramming speed to a screeching halt, complete with grunting noise as said mower slams into my body. No. More. No longer do I consider the positive effects of the environment. How there's so little noise and no gas fumes that James can play outside when I am mowing. John Deere, how I am longing for our love affair to start.

Cuckoo!

During the trip back to the Homestead, PJ received as a gift from his aunt Kresent a beeeeeauuuuutiful piece of machinery. I still giggle with glee as it explodes in song on the hour and the half hour. Here are the chickens and the clock. So far they are doing great with the "look with our eyes not with our hands" thing. It's so fun!

The Desert

We're back from it. High and dry. Going thru a gajillion photos. Will post some of them soon!

Catching up

Post Christmas here at Wild Wild West Drive.
Here are some of the goings on:
New Years Eve Movie Party with the kids-in the basement, sleeping bags, 2 am lights out, Annie.
Getting the kids back in the school groove.
Getting ready for the big Phx trip. (Woot!)
Back to the gym.
Trying to journal.
The candied tangelo peels did not turn out as good as I would have liked. Need more tangelos to try again.
The winds are being whipped up again and may just blow us somewhere else. I am having a really hard time with this. I have faith that we will be okay, but right now going through this (AGAIN!!!!!) is unfortunate. It actually is more than unfortunate. It more than really sucks.
Ava starts new ensemble arts classes next week-Drama Games (She should be in honors for that!) and first grade choir. Tres exciting!
That is the little that is going on around here. Plugging along. Quietly. Trying.
Hoping that all my peeps are feeling their joy.
Later.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

How lovely are your branches. St. Joe Tree Farm, year THREE!

Merry Christmas from Downtown Fort Wayne!!

The last couple of years we've packed up the kids and the hot cocoa and headed downtown for the annual lighting of Santa and his reindeer. There are actually three big things-Santa, a Christmas tree at Wells Fargo, and a big wreath at another building. (I can't remember right now who sponsors that). Last year we saw all three, but this year we did things a little differently. This was the inaugural year for the Parks department to have a big extravaganza at the Community Center, with crafts, the movie Elf, balloons, and all sorts of hijinx. The parks director (of whom I am fond and whose wife I think should be in the top 10 of Most Darling People in the Country list) was even there in costume. We picked up PJ at work then headed over to the Community Center first. Each of the kids made an ornament and we visited shortly with some friends we hadn't seen in a little while. Afterwards, we went back outside to brave the cold (it WAS cold!) and wait for Santa to be lit up. The kids began to grow impatient, but we plied them with hot cocoa and some snacks and they calmed down a bit till the big moment arrived. It's so fun all lit up!

Happy Thanksgiving to all you out there in Blogistan!

A great day was had by the Thuringer clan-movies, tickling, a good meal and a rocking centerpiece! Pilgrim in canoe by Ava P, Turkey hat by Master J. We've so much to be thankful for, especially for our family and friends. Blessings to you all!

One Smiling Sooper Boy

Don't let the man in the picture fool you; I spend plenty o' time in the yard of ours and our recently foreclosed upon next door neighbor's and with the Amazing Yard Appliance known heretofore as the Blower gathered up a lovely pile of leaves for the chickens to play in. They were in the middle of the yard as opposed to down at the street where they need to be because I knew the chickens would want to play in them and playing in them down in the street is a tiny bit stressful for me. So PJ, bless his heart, moved the big ole pile of leaves down to the street after my children had a blast playing in them. They culminated the leaf playing celebration by removing their shoes and socks, and were brought into the house and promptly put to bed for an afternoon nap. The End.

Thrifty Goodness

So last Friday we had a par-tay here at Chez Thuringer, and the morning of said par-tay I realized I had nothing to wear. So I left early to head over to Target to see what was going on over there, and, finding nothing, went directly to my Favorite Thrift Store. It is so good that even tho my reader is in another state, I cannot give away it's awesomeness. Anyhoo, I cruise in there, head for the dresses, and find a darling black shirt dress for $5.50. Missing it's belt, I picked up a replacement for $1. I figured I'd wear this with the patterned tights I just picked up at Target, and that would complete the outfit. But before I left, I moseyed on over to the housewears dept. to see if there was a crock pot (mine is slowly falling apart-missing knob, cracked handle, but still crocks like a champ!) as a back up, or of course good pyrex or vintage tupperware. No can do, but my eyes came across these lovely coffee mugs! They were a lovely set of six, so bright and lovely, stackable, vintagey, and awesome. Three DOLLARS! Yet, as I can be a little insane occasionally, I walked away. What??!! I know~I know! Yet I did. And yet after a successful party and a trip to South Bend and teaching Sunday School I could not get these lovelies off my mind. I was certain that somebody came in on Saturday and snatched them right up, but I knew I had to go check. Right after dropping James at school on Monday on my way out to Meijer (which I totally love but am mad at because they hosted YOU KNOW WHO for her book signing today!!!) I stopped in. Soooo many cars in the lot. It was almost too much to handle. I may or may not have knocked down a small child on my way toward the housewares area (I am kidding, I totally would know if I knocked down a small child!) and found the mugs!!! They are mine!!! Bwahahaha. I brought them home, washed them, and stacked them in the cupboard where the never used fiesta ware mugs used to reside. (I moved the fiesta mugs to a different cupboard. We never use them because the handle is too wierd for me and the mug is too small for Peeg.) And have been enjoying them immensely for tbe last couple of days. And now, without further ado, here is their Big Internet Debut!




Two notes: 1)I might have more than one reader if I wrote shorter-like, "Had party, went to thrift store, found cute mugs, went back and bought them, now am happy!
2) Did not get any good Halloween photos as James was scared of Ava's costume and crying for the photo ops. He got over it, tho, and had a great time trick or treating. There's just no photographic evidence of it.