'SCM' makes everything better.

It has been one hot mutha in the Lou already.  Around here with the heat comes sno-cones {aka snow balls, snowcones, snow cones, etc}.

Last year we bought an ice shaver.  It makes the ice fine enough to make our own version.  We have since collected lots of syrups {mostly from Target}, and sometimes do toppings like sprinkles, whipped cream, cherries, etc. 

We are all kind of obsessed with the 'cream tops' that most of the New Orleans style sno-cone stands offer around here.  I was thinking it wasn't attainable at home, and mostly had just decided it was something we could only get at our favorite local stand.

BUT...

with a little research and testing, we can now add it to our own 'options' list when we make them ourselves.

Enter the lead player: Sweetened Condensed Milk {SCM}

From what I understand, this is mainly a southern thing.  But, rest assured...once you give it a try, it will become a 'wherever-you-live' thing.

You can spoon it on top straight out of the can if you like, but we like it best mixed with a little milk.  I would guess I put about 2 TBSP. of milk to one can of SCM.

I just whisk it up...

and VOILA! 

After you make your sno-cone to your liking, you just spoon the SCM mixture on top.  That's it!  To make it extra fun, you can serve it in fun cups or paper cones with even cuter spoons or straws.

This time I did even more experimenting and tried a 'Viatnamese Coffee' sno-cone.  All I did was take Pioneer Woman Iced Coffee concentrate, pour it over the shaved ice, and added the cream top. 

So, so good!

I think next time, I may try just freezing some strong coffee in an ice cube tray, and actually shaving that, but it was still really good.  Definitely worth giving it a try.

Enjoy!

spoons: Sucre Shop

cups: {new old stock} Paper Treats

cones: Target

Summer, summer, summer time...

summer sunset ]via my iPhone while on a run the other night

It's been like a whole week since I've blogged.  I'm not sure it will get any better now that summer is in full swing around here.  We are going to remain active and outdoors as much as possible.  With Six Flags passes and pool passes in our pockets, we may actually achieve our goal.

The gang on Betsy's kindergarten graduation day

This last week has been an exhausting one for sure.  We had to be on lock down at school pick up under threat of tornadoes,  Jake turned 10 {don't even get me started on that one}, Betsy had her last field trip as a kindergartener, Rosie slept over at my sister's house {twice}, Pete was...well, Pete, the cicadas are dive bombing us and piercing our ears with their chirping or whatever it is they do, and we wrapped it all up with a family BBQ.

Jakey's cake from his 'around-the-world' party made by my friend, Amy.

Thanks, Amy!

While I can make no promises in the blogging department during the summer months, I can promise you great stories/ideas/adventures here and there.  And in the fall, well, you may just be sick of me by December.  I'll be back tomorrow with some new music, and Thursday with some of our recent party details.

Happy Summer!

Every once in awhile...

They all get along perfectly.

More details from Pete's big First Holy Communion celebration to follow!

Sometimes you need a nap...

"There was never a child so lovely,

but his mother was glad to get him to sleep."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The aftermath.

Homemade cards...

I like the flower on my shirt.  I don't recall owning a shirt like that. Maybe I should get one.

Dishes...

if you like meringue, this is the cake for you. Delicious.

Lego sculptures just for me...

I like the hole through 'Big Jake's' lego body.

my favorite mail delivered on my special day...

what are the chances?

What could be better?

Oh, yeah...take-out for dinner.

A super sexy man that folded ALL of the laundry.

It was a super day.

I am trying to get together at least one room

{besides the kitchen},

and photograph it to show you all some of the snail's progress around here.

Maybe today is the day.

I have 2 sicklets home with me.

When will this sick cloud hovering over our house LEAVE already?

These poor kids.

It's ridunkulous.

One more thing...

my cousin Mel's husband, J, baked me this special cake,

and shared it with me virtually on Facebook.

{Mel is on bedrest, and they couldn't deliver it for reals.}

This cake makes me very happy.

I smile just thinking about it.

For those that know me,

you know why.

And, for the record, I'm not 40.  

I'm 33.

Josh, you are so funny.

Ice, Ice, Baby.

photo by Stephan Savoia

"There is something joyful about storms that interrupt

 routine. Snow or freezing rain suddenly releases you from

 expectations, performance demands, and the tyranny of

 appointments and schedules. ...All those affected this way are

 united by a mutual excuse, and the heart is suddenly and 

unexpectedly a little giddy."

 -Wm. Paul Young, "The Shack"

All right, stop.
Collaborate and listen...
***
The ice has come to the Lou.  

In fact, the ice is still falling.  As I type.  

Now, we wait for the 10 inches of snow.  

The fridge is stocked. The electronic devices charged.  

If we lose power, my sanity will go along with it.  

But, for now, we are having fun.  Watching movies, playing 'Angry Birds', pushing strollers around the house, napping here and there, and, generally, enjoying this unexpected staycation.  

Ask me in 3 days how I'm doing.  I may have a different response.  

Be safe if you're out in this madness!

I have been {hearted}, and some BOO!

I'm guesting over at 'Joy's Hope' today.

{HOORAY!}  

Check it out here.

I hope your Halloween was

spooktacular!

If your little chickens had

half as much fun as mine,

I would say it was a success.

BOO!

Life {from an iPhone}

A poof from HomeGoods that I didn't NEED,

but couldn't leave the store without.

You can't tell just how delicious the turquoise and red are

in this photo.

Which is a real shame!

Because it is super tasty.

Our new house is across the street from a fantastic little park.

I'm blessed enough to use my legs to drag my rotund buttocks for a run

on the trails it offers almost daily.

It is breathtaking right now.

Fall is God's gift to us after the insufferable heat of summer.

Beauty.

We love our school.

Even though, we might {MIGHT} have to switch next year.

This is a photo of the littles at the fall fun fair.

Ahhhh, Sappington Elementary...I regret if we have to part ways.

What a special place!

A small painting commissioned by my sister.

Turned out pretty good.

Better than I expected, anyway.

I may have to paint a larger one for the new digs over here.

Let's get real...

McDonald's is just too easy.

Sure the meat has ground up eyeballs, teeth, and bones in it.

Your point?

But, seriously, 

it's so GROSS.

Why do I give in?

Not often, but I do.

Eyeball meat for them, and Diet Dr.Pepper for me.  

Both toxic poison.

Where is my will power?

I suppose I don't have any.

Wah, wah.

Must reads...

Even after almost 6 years, I am often asked 2 questions concerning our life with Betsy:

1. How did you deal with learning about her condition?

2. How do you do it?

I have touched on the answers to both often enough on this blog, but have never been completely satisfied with my interpretation.  It is a difficult thing to articulate and fine tune.  Maybe it can't be done.

Concerning the first question, the closest I've come is this.

However, recently, I've read two things that have touched my soul...to the core.

The first is a response to the first question.  Back in December, Kelle Hampton wrote the birth story of her second daughter.  The happy day quickly took a turn when Kelle suspected, that upon holding her sweet bundle for the first time, her baby girl had Down's Syndrome.

image from 'Enjoying the Small Things: A Blog by Kelle Hampton'

Even though Jake and I didn't discover Betsy's condition until she was almost 4 months old, the shock and sadness over mourning the daughter she thought she was having is so poignant.   The sadness is followed by hope, and more love than she could have ever imagined filling every space in her soul.  

Find the full post HERE, and grab a tissue or two {or a box}. 

The second post was written by my bloggy friend, Tara.  

It addresses the second question: How do you do it?

My answer has always been, "You just do.".

No big mystery.  No real secret. 

Tara explains a bit further, and she does it oh, so well.  

image of Tara's daughter via her blog 'TMI'

Tara's comparison of the balancing act of raising a child with special needs to the careful editing of a photograph is brilliant.  

Read her post, HERE.

Grab a second box of tissues.

Really.  You'll need them.

Because I like it...

Cousins: Betsy {5}, Kate {5}, & Rosie {3}

Biker chicks.

The girls have learned a new skill.

Pedaling.

Betsy's tone prevents her from going up-hill, but she's pretty darn good.

I cannot believe she finally learned to pedal!

On the opposite end of the spectrum...Rosie is a machine.

Obviously, based solely on this photo, her safety {no shoes, no helmet} is our top priority.

I jest but, I can assure you, dear readers, that isn't the norm around here.

It's crazy, hectic when we go outside because all they want to do is go, go, go.

Baby, they were born to run ride. {sang in my best Bruce Springsteen}

The lake of mom guilt.

1st annual lake trip, July 2009

Don't we look like frat boys & sorority girls?

Sh'yeah, right.

This evening, we leave for the lake.

It's the second annual 'no kids' lake trip.

Typically, we are not ones to leave our kids.

But, I've been thinking that, for appearances sake, it sure looks that way.

Within the last couple of months, this will be our second trip without them.

Wow!

I must admit, there's a little guilt involved.

You see, I was raised by two people who instilled in us that

once you choose to have kids, you are a parent.

That's that.

No leaving them, no dumping them off with random sitters.

They're yours.

Of course, my folks went out here and there.

Of course, we spent the night with our grandparents on occasion.

Of course, it wasn't all mom & dad all the time.

But, I don't recall being away from them much, if at all.

So, when I think about the fact that our 10th anniversary trip

{which lasted a bit over 24 hours},

and the fact that our lake trip falls a mere month-and-a-half later,

it makes me feel more guilty than usual.

Guilt is good, right?

If I didn't feel a tad guilty,

what would that say about me as a mom?

I don't have the answer to that, 

I just thought I'd throw it out there.

I think the bottom line is...

there is a happy medium between NEVER leaving your kids,

and leaving them too much.

My hope is that we have struck the balance.

So, I will go.

After the 2.5 hour car ride, I will feel better about having gone.

I will have fun.

After all, we go with other 'mommy & daddy' couples.

Everyone has at least 2 kids, if not more.

We end up talking about our parenting woes,

our kids,

our lives as something different than crazy college students without real responsibilities.

There's great food, beergaritas, good company, sleeping in, outlet mall shopping for back-to-school.

I feel like it's a bad episode of that old show 'Thirtysomething'.

And, I wouldn't want it any other way.

We even have a breastfed newborn coming along this year.

Holy cats, we are wild and crazy!

Then,

on Sunday,

I will come home to happy, spoiled-by-Grandma-all-weekend kids

who are as happy to see me as I am to see them.

We will cuddle on the couch that night with freshly popped popcorn,

and talk about everything we did over the weekend.

And, the best part is...
I won't leave them again until next July.

My sister's babies...

Sam is 7.

Kate is 5.

Aren't they cuties?

We're not sure where Sam's orange locks came from.

Oh, the fun we have that.

There is no joke we all haven't heard.  

Red hair, and freckles.  

Personally, I think both make a deliciously squeezable situation.

Kay-Kay didn't get the red hair, but oh, those freckles.

They're in full effect.

And, let me just say, for the record, that glasses are quite challenging during shooting and post-processing.

I know I'm an amateur, but geesh!

I love those guys!

Can't to see how they all turn out.

That guy.

That guy is our introspective, sensitive kid.

He takes things to heart.

He is his own worst critic.

He loves to tell stories.

That guy is artistic, imaginative, and deep.

He is a huge sports fan and is waaaaay competitive.

His heart breaks easily, so tears are shed often, but typically, quietly and privately.

He is the first born, the care taker, the peace maker, the old soul.

That guy is the bomb.

I love that guy!

Lessons from a film.

Right...so, Jake and I watched 'My Sister's Keeper' last night. 

I hadn't read the book, so I didn't know the exact story, just bits and pieces.

It was horrible, awful, bad!

In the best way.

As I sat there sobbing, I realized how my tears were being shed for so many reasons.

First off, it is a very sad, touching film.

Second, it seems that sometimes in the midst of other people's pain I find myself reflecting on my own blessings vs. hurdles, and I come to realize how fortunate I am, indeed.

There is a particular part of the movie, in which, the youngest, healthy daughter says how it's not fair that her older sister had to get sick and pass away.  It is very poignant.

I could not stop thinking about how many times I've thought that it's not fair that Betsy is 'trapped' inside her little brain, and I really felt ashamed.

Ashamed that I've felt that way when she is healthy, and thriving, and so happy. 

Ashamed because, even though her little body and her brain don't communicate, the essence of who she is has no problem rising to the surface.  Even without speech or great physical skills, we know who she is.  We get frequent glimpses into her sweet soul.

And she is good.  All things good.  All things we all should be more of.  All things God reveres. 

She is truly untouched by prejudices of any kind; culture, wealth, education, past sin. 

She loves everyone, has smiles and hugs for everyone.  Even if you upset her, she forgives and forgets quite literally. 

We have very little sadness in our lives, our home is free from tragedy {hopefully, until the end of our days}.

And we are blessed.

All of us.  Big Jake, Jake, Pete, Betsy, Rosie, me.

My kids are phenoms!  All 4 of them.

But, really, I didn't need a movie to tell me that.

Total mom post.

Q: Why do us mothers do what we do?

A: All those smiles.

 Breathe deep, ladies.

Summer has just begun.

Summertime.

This summer, I'm gonna try and chill.

Starting with,

SLOWLY giving the blog a little make-over.

Teaching myself along the way.

I've decided simpler is better.

Bigger photos, less other 'stuff'.

We'll be playing more,

which means less time for me on the world wide web.

I'll still try and post every day.

Hopefully, before everyone wakes up.

Minus Betsy.

She likes to get up at 5:30 or so.

Although, I'd like to run before everyone wakes up, too,

and, obviously, before Jake leaves for work.

So, we'll see.

I think I've spread myself too thin already.

Geesh!

I really need to find the balance.

Today's plan...

homemade sno-cones,

sprinklers,

blow-up pools,

hot dogs,

sidewalk paint.

No big pool, yet.

I have a kickin' summer cold,

and do not have the energy to take 4 kids by my lonesome.

Here's to beautiful summer days!

Oh, and I know some of you email me, and since my 'contact' is currently disabled...

here you go:

oddgirloutblog{at}aol{dot}com.

The link bar is my first project.

Hopefully, it will be restored soon.

School's out for summer...

I got some great ideas for 'year-end' teacher gifts from here. {eighteen25 blog}

I wish I had some great summer time activities to do with the kids, too.

They'd have to appeal to a 9, 7, 5, and 3-year-old. 

That's tough.

Aside from a couple of summer enrichment classes
{Jake is taking CSI & kickball, Pete; golfing & cooking},
and the pool...we are kickin' it old school:

sidewalk chalk, water balloons, bikes, sprinklers, paint, the ice cream truck, BBQs, books, fun.

On a side note...I think the photos are grainy because I just noticed my ISO was on 1600 from last night. 

Oops! 

I'm always a work in progress.

Monday musings.

Mother's Day looked a little something like this.

Pleasant, nice, great weather, good food,

close family, fun, relaxing, bliss.

The wee hours of the morning after weren't so

pleasant, nice, or blissful.

They looked something like this...

and so it goes.

2 down, more to go, I'm sure. 

My husband let me sleep a bit when Pete was puking.

A continuation of Mother's Day, or because he is just plain awesome.

If I didn't have to get my cavity/filling fixed today
because of the extreme pain it's currently causing,

we'd all be snuggling in bed.

In between puke loads of laundry, of course.

My tummy hurts, too.

Boo!

Motherhood snapshot: a day in the life of Grebe.

6:30/6:45 - Wake-up.
6:45:37 - Make a cup or gallon of coffee.
7:00 - Fight with Pete to get up, get dressed, or eat breakfast. Or all three.  He's not a morning person.  At all.
7:15 - Everyone is dressed and settled, unless Betsy is having a melt-down from Big Jake or I hollering at Pete to get up, get dressed, or eat breakfast.
7:30 - Big Jake off to work.
7:30/8:00 - Kids watch an episode of  'The Suite Life' while I finish getting ready for the day, and make beds upstairs, or sometimes I blog.
8:00 - The troops brush teeth, get on shoes, go out to the bus stop, which, luckily, is at the end of the driveway.
8:05/8:15 - Referee the boys during the wait. This can include, but is not limited to; making sure the kickball game is played fairly, keeping them from swinging sticks at each other, or backpacks, or throwing rocks across the street into the neighbors yard.
8:15 - Boys are on bus and off to school.
8:20 - Betsy is on bus and off to school.
8:20:17 - Rosie starts whining that she wants to go to the grocery store.  This can mean Target, Hobby Lobby, Costco, the actual grocery store, breakfast with Aunt Jill, cousin Kate, and Grandpa Sarge, doctor's office, post office, or, basically, anywhere that is not home.
8:30 - Feed Chopper his special diabetic food, wait for him to finish, give him a shot of insulin, let him out to pee for the 438th time that morning, wait for a neighbor to bring him back because he escapes from the yard every other day.
8:45 - Shove some sort of nutrition into my gob, or skip the food and blog if I haven't already.  It depends.
9:00 - Out the door.
9:00/10:30 - This time is usually for errands, the park, breakfast dates, playdates or more errands.  I TRY to do Target on Tuesday or Wednesday, and the grocery store on Thursday.
10:30/11:00 - Put stuff away from said errands.  Maybe fold a basket of laundry.  Do a light pick up around the house.
11:30 - Make another humongo cup of coffee.
11:45 - Betsy gets home.
12:00 - Make lunch.
12:20 - Clean-up lunch.
12:21 - Start warning the girls of their approaching nap time.
12:22 - Go downstairs and clean-up the boys junk, make their beds.  Bring up another basket of laundry.
12:35/1:00 - Fold laundry, make the girls chocolate milk, put them in bed.
1:00/3:00 - This time is for laundry, cleaning, crafting, sewing, gardening, baking.  SOMETIMES a little cat nap myself.  It really depends.  Mostly cleaning.
3:00/3:40 - Girls start waking up, if they haven't already.  Geesh!  I try to get dinner started or finished, like, if I'm making homemade soup, lasagna, a crockpot meal, or something like that.
3:45 - Boys are home, and in full effect.
3:50 - After school snacks, lemonade, homework.
4:30 - If it's nice the boys will go outside with their friends and ride bikes up in the cul-de-sac.  We have a TON of kids in the neighborhood.  If dinner is pretty well started, I'll take the girls out, too.
5:30/5:45 - Big Jake is home, and we sit down to eat.  On Wednesdays & Thursdays, we have a quick grab and go dinner; grilled cheese/soup, semi-homemade pizza, baked ravioli, because Jake has football and baseball practice, and Pete has Accelerated Reading Club.
6:00/6:30 - Big Jake cleans-up dinner {thank you, honey}, and I give the girls their bath.  On Mondays at 6:30 the boys have religion class at our church until 8:00.  Otherwise, they may read or watch a show on Disney.
7:00 - Boys start showers.  They are on a rotating schedule as to who gets in the shower first.  If I were them, I'd go first every night to get it over with and to get all the hot water I want.  When will they learn?
7:30/8:00 - Big Jake goes through their bags, and signs off on homework.  {Again, thank you, my dear.}
8:00 - Betsy goes to bed.
8:30/9:00 - Boys and Rosie go to bed.  Once they are in bed, I go for a run. 
9:30/10:00 - Big Jake watches TV, might fold some laundry because it never ends around here {much appreciated}, catches up on email or Facebook.  I come back from the torture of running {which, by the way, I ran 3.4 in 31 minutes Tuesday night, thank you, very much}, drink some water, get in the shower, and, then, do a combination of the following; talk and laugh with Jake about our days, catch up on DVR, laundry, Facebook, reading my favorite blogs, emails, bills/checkbook, calendar/schedule, or sometimes, but rarely, go straight to bed.
11:00 - Almost always in bed by this time, but we usually talk some more. 
11:30 - Sleeping and dreaming of having someone to do it for me all over again the next day. 

I look at what I've just written, and I think how most people would think it's monotonous, mundane, boring.  Maybe it is, but I'm so thankful this is my life.  No drama, no surprises.  For the most part anyway.  It's all mine, and I am blessed.

I, also, decided to make myself some steel-cuts with fresh strawberries after reading this.  I REALLY need to start eating a good breakfast, and get the metabolism working in overdrive.

Hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  You deserve it if you day is anything like mine.

See you all Monday.

P.S. I'm not a blogger who uses MckLinky, but was thinking about doing a monthly recipe swap with it.  I feel like I make the same stuff for dinner, over, and over, and over.  Don't you?  Any takers?  Comment or email me.