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Secular Thursday: Making a Memorable Moment

This story has no pictures because it all starts with “Mommy went to the dentist.” and in the middle there is LilB coming up the stairs from the shower with the words “I fell in the water but not my head” and ends with a small tank a tadpoles, snails and more.

I had a odd hour appointment so I asked Gramps to watch the boys. They were finish up a bit of school work when I zipped off to the dentist. This is where the boys pick up the story. As told by them:

Jr age 8: Grandpa fed us lunch. Then Grandpa said we should go look for tadpoles and eggs. So we got all our stuff on and went down the lane. We looked by the metal tube thing that in the ditch and I (Jr.) found a duck egg! I left it there cuz it might be yucky. Then we remembered we needed a bucket so we went to get one. We looked in the ducklings box. We checked them and gave them water. Then we went further down the lane and to where the geese go to be in the water. I was looking in the big puddles.

LilB age 5: Then Jr. stepded in a big hole and filled his boot up with water (hilarious giggles)

Jr: Yeah. I did. But my leg and foot took up so much space there wasn’t much water. Then we looked more and Gramps saw a scummy spot. So we walked over there then I fell in the water!! I got went up to here (indicates his shoulder).

LilB: Grandpa scooped up some water and found a tadpole!

Jr: then LilB wanted to scoop.

LilB: so I scooped and then I fell in the water! But not my head!

Gramps: He was soaked through (chuckles)

LilB: I tooked off my boots and dumped lots

Jr: Then Grandpa saw a FROG!

Gramps: so I hollered to LilB to toss me his boot.

Jr. and LilB THEN GRAMPS PUT THE FROG IN THE BOOT! *giggles* and chants of FROG IN THE BOOT. FROG IN THE BOOT!

conversation dissolves into various levels of hilarity.

The very wet little party made their way back to the house and into the shower to wash off the scummy pond water. The creatures along with their water went into our tank. We’ve got two teeny little tadpoles for certain. And lots of other small creatures too. There was such excited discussion and chants of best science ever!

Finally I heard Jr. say “You should have been there mama!” Perhaps but I think it wouldn’t have quite been the same had I been home. I don’t think it would have been one of those memorable moments shared with their Grandpa.

Author name:: Bobbi
Publish date:: April 29th, 2010

Randomness

This was one of those glorious weeks where things happened and I wrote about none of it. The boys had a good week with school. That is enough right there to make me feel fantastic. After a couple of rough weeks I abandoned the idea of no morning routine and plunked us back into a typical morning like last year. Instantly it was better and the complaining stopped. Well not all of it but the “why do we have to…blah blah stopped.

We also met with our Supervising Teacher. Attended a “two-thumbs up” birthday party. I managed to get to the book sale for 3 hours without my kids. My kids got to spend 3 hours hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma and an Auntie. We hunted and gathered all our necessary pieces for a weekend of science experiments about atoms. Supplies included balloons, food coloring and marshmallows. Can you see the happy smiling children?

And finally one morning while I was busy reading and responding to email Jr. came up to tell me he’d made something to show me. Can you see what it says in the photo?

L E g o . C o m

Author name:: Bobbi
Publish date:: September 11th, 2009

Great Aunt Edna’s Swedish Rye Bread

My Great Aunt Edna was a small woman. I remember that she made me feel tall and I wasn’t. She always wore these just awful black orthopedic shoes with two inch heels. I remember her house had those old fashioned rag rugs and flowers. I never knew her when she was “young” for me Aunt Edna was always an old lady with a gentle smile and a small voice. Yet you listened if she talked. She commanded a kind of quiet respect. She was delicate and had the bearing of a lady. She was one of my favorite old people and occasionally I miss her still though she’s been gone many years.

One of the many things that she left our family were her recipes. This one has been paired down a bit as we modern day women don’t usually bake 5 to 7 loaves at once. I prefer this as a breakfast bread toasted with my homemade red currant jelly. It is slightly sweet and does not have an overpowering rye flavor. Enjoy it!

Swedish Rye Bread

1 package Dry Yeast
¼ cups Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 cups Hot Water
? cups Butter (or Shortening Of Choice)
¾ cups Molasses
½ cups Brown Sugar
2 cups Rye Flour
4 cups Flour (all-purpose Or Whole Wheat Pastry)

**Note that this bread rises twice prep time is about 25 minutes but rise time is 2 to 3 hours**

Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until yeast is activated (foamy). In a separate bowl add the 2 cups of hot water, butter, molasses and brown sugar. Allow the butter to soften (melt) then mix well. Add the yeast mixture. Then mix in the flours (rye and all-purpose). If using a stand mixer knead until a somewhat stiff dough is formed. If kneading by hand mix in the bowl until unable then turn out onto floured board. Add additional flour as needed when kneading. Place in a greased bowl allow to rise until double. Punch down, knead and all to rise again. After 2nd rise form into loaves and put in greased pans.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes makes 2 good sized loaves.

Author name:: Bobbi
Publish date:: August 23rd, 2009