DAY 273

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." Unknown

We finally had our celebratory dinner. Feeling a little tired, but very grateful. Now on to the next challenge...

DAY 272

"I have fished through fishless days that I remember happily without regret." Roderick Haig-Brown

He did it! Haldan passed the exam! For those of you who don't know what I'm referring to, my husband has been in a schooling for the last 18 months through the nuclear power plant he works at. If he didn't pass this test he would no longer have this job. Pretty crazy. Needless to say, it's been a very anxiety ridden event. He started the exam at 8AM and he took 5 hours to finish it. Others took the entire 8 hours, so he had to wait to learn the results until they were finished. I asked if he was excited to be done. He said it was a complete let down, that he felt like the "guts of a sigh." To me that is relief. Never heard it put quite like that before. I wanted to have a celebratory dinner, but he said he wasn't hungry. So, to celebrate he took Little Man down to the creek with his waders and spent the evening fishing. They came up empty handed, but a good time was had by both. In an attempt to get a POTD, I followed them down only to realize I wore the completely wrong shoes. Nearly killed myself trudging along the rocky, uneven path and then he liked the picture from the bridge the best anyhow. (It reminds me of a scene out of "A River Runs Through It.") It's crazy to think that a year ago that little creek was above that road. The trail is pretty messed up and not open for hiking yet. Now I know why. Haldan, I'm proud of you. I know it wasn't an easy course and that we have made it completely distracting all the while. Job well done. Now we wait for the official results from the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commision). He has yet to get his performance results, but he feels confident about that portion of the exam. In a month if all goes well he will be a Senior Reactor Operator. To the other 6 guys in his class who passed, Congratulations!!

Salmon Nicoise Salad

A healthy one for ya; great year round. It comes from the Martha Stewart "Everyday Food" magazine. It's a little more than 30 minutes prep time due to all the ingredients, but most of it could be done ahead of time. Right click and save it, then print it on cardstock in 4x6 format. Enjoy.

DAY 271

"Home is home, be it ever so humble.” -Proverb quote

I think this would have to be the hub of our home. This is where the children practice piano and have lessons, visit with guests, play games, have family night, and read books before bed. It's not much, but it holds lots of memories for us.

DAY 270

“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” -Og Mandino

Letting the children have household chores and responsibilities has been very challenging for me lately. Pokey had the dishes this week and she let them sit 3 days before she did them. I know these are invaluable lessons that need to be taught, yet it would be so much easier for me to just do it myself. After a few tears she got those dishes done and did a mighty fine job. I only hope that one day she will be a tidy homemaker by choice.

I had a comment this week in response to my picture idea inquiry. There's 95 days left and I'm running low on ideas. Andrea from Utah shared some great photo ideas. She suggested that I use "shots of everyday life in and around my home that we engage in on a regular basis". Thanks for all the ideas. I agree that it would be nice to have more pictures of my childhood to "trigger memories". So, this week I'm going to focus on more personal things. For privacy reasons I've tried to stay clear of certain kinds of photos, but I think it is a great idea to capture this moment in our life with a few pics of our sourroundings. They're not my favorite photos. I have a small home with low lighting and it seems these pictures never turn out like I'd like them to, but important all the same.

As for the "pregnancy scare"... I've had several comments regarding this now. I guess you could say a 9 year gap would make anyone a little crazed. My body has always worked like a clock, so when things are off by 6 days and you wake up nauseated in the middle of the night... you start adding up all of the other symptoms and get a little delirious. Haldan even had me drinking homemade parsley tea, which is nasty with honey in it by the way- I about gagged. I guess it's supposed to induce your cycle. Who knows if it actually works, but my mother would sure be proud. The important thing is that I am not pregnant. But it was an emotional roller coaster ride I'm glad to finally be off of.

DAY 269

"It is not the form, that dictates the color, but the color that brings out the form." -Hans Hofmann

Highlights of the week: rain, pregnancy scare, Pokey starts new ice skating level, Little Man leads team to victory in soccer, Preparedness Fair, Muffins w/ Mom (donutland), Parade of Homes, chicken noodle soup turns out to be a kid favorite, haircut (finally), fall decor, pack meeting, Haldan's test prep, and lack of sleep. Overall an emotionally draining, yet boring week.

S.A.D.

The other day I mentioned that I thought I might be suffering from this condition and asked if there was anyone else out there. I had one person respond. Thank you for making me feel like I'm not alone. I'm wondering if there are more of you and why it seems to only affect some people.

I love every single thing about fall... the changing colors, the pumpkin patches, the soups and ciders, costumes, the cooler weather, etc. And yet when the crisp September days come (without any warning) I just feel different. I want to be able to enjoy this beautiful season and not feel like I'm in mourning.

I've been doing some research to better understand this condition. That's what I do. It seems to make me feel like I'm not so helpless or that I have some control over my life. The mayo clinic says that although they don't know the actual cause of S.A.D.... that there are some factors that contribute. Your biological clock and melatonin/seratonin levels all may play a part. It sounds like all three affect your sleep patterns and can lead to depression.

This is what they say:
1.The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may disrupt your body's internal clock, which lets you know when you should sleep or be awake. This disruption of your circadian rhythm may lead to feelings of depression.

2.The change in season can disrupt the balance of the natural hormone melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.

3.Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, perhaps leading to depression.

It is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Treatment for seasonal affective disorder includes light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Addressing the problem can help you keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195

I want to understand the led light therapy better. A couple years ago we changed all of the light bulbs in our house to full spectrum bulbs in an attempt to help me get through the winter months, but it was costly and didn't seem to help. Now I've been reading about these led lights that do everything from reduce wrinkles to prevent depression. They are several hundred dollars and there seems to be a plethora of them available. But which ones work or are they all a hoax? I will continue to research this, but would love any comments or feedback.

DAY 268

"The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind, is curiosity." Edmund Burke

I love Little Man's love of living creatures and his passion to learn. It amazes me how a single grasshopper can evoke such excitment, despite the hundreds of other's previously encountered. Each and every insect is as fascinating as the next, no matter how big or small. I wish I had that kind of enthusiasm for life.

Chicken Enchiladas and Chicken Noodle Soup

If you like easy, fast recipes like myself... here ya go. Just save and print on cardstock. They are in 4x6 format. This week I cooked chicken in the crockpot and got 2 dinners out of it. These recipes are winners in our home. The kids wanted seconds on both.

I'm pretty sure this comes from the kitchen of Sheryl Quillin. Probably not in the healthy category, but yummy and the kids loved it.

I slightly modified this recipe due to the fact that I cooked the chicken ahead of time. I added the chicken later and it was still delish! This recipe comes from the kitchen of my sister, Tonya Shuley.

If you have easy, kid friendly recipes and want to share please send them my way.

DAY 267

"Water sustains all." -Thales of Miletus, 600 B.C.

Soggy day here in the greater Cedar Rapids area. Thought a rain drop would represent the day well.

DAY 266

You know you're tired when...

You fall asleep on the living room floor in the afternoon

and you only realize it when your husband takes a picture

and the camera's flash wakes you up.

I've not been sleeping well lately. I've woken up the last two nights in the middle of the night around 2AM and can't get back to sleep. Torture. Have you ever been so tired that it's felt painful?

DAY 265 (Only 100 Days left)

First Day of Autumn

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." -Emily Bronte

In other news:

Little Man finally got his bear badge at pack meeting tonight. Besides one other boy this is the group of boys there tonight. Small group. Bryant (back left) is in 11 year old scouts and Keiler (back right) just finished webelos. Little Man will be very lonely in Webelos this year. One of the leaders joked that "webelos" stands for "we be lonely". Curtis (not in photo) and Anthony (front right) are in the wolves/bears class, which is combined. There were also a couple other cubs not present. I think there's 5 or 6 total. It's rough being such a small ward sometimes.

DAY 264

"If you’re attacking, you don’t get as tired as when you’re chasing." -Unknown

Little Man had a good game tonight. He scored 7 of the 10 goals leading his team to victory and he only played in 2 quarters. The other team didn't have enough players so he actually played goalie for the other team one of the quarters. Seems a little strange to me that he actually prevented his team from getting goals. I guess it's better than a forfeit. It was rainy, but light- so they continued to play. Way to play a good game, Little Man!

In other news:

Pokey gave herself yet another hickey on her arm today. She tried to chalk it up to falling down, but there was no lying her way through this one. What are we going to do with her?

I cleaned up my fonts today and found a new favorite, which I used on this picture. It's called "rusted plastic" for those of you who care. Love the names they come up with.

I think I might have SAD, seasonal affective disorder. I've never been diagnosed, but this time every year I feel down. It's strange because I love everything about fall. Maybe it has more to do with the long winter ahead. It's been a rough couple weeks for me, but I'm trying to power through and stay busy. I think I need to keep running. I made it to the 4 mile mark last week and my goal is 5. Do-able. I think goal setting is key to a happier me, and the endorphins aren't such a bad thing either. Any other SAD sufferers? I welcome all advice.

Haldan's performance portion of his exam has begun. The written will be on Sept 29th (next Tues). Please keep him in your prayers.

DAY 263

"Each blade of grass has its spot on earth whence it draws its life, its strength; and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life. " -Joseph Conrad

I'm feeling a little under the weather today. Went to bed last night with the start of a migraine. Took advil right away, but it was still there when I woke up. I've been lying low today just taking it easy. It's better, but still there. This pic was actually taken a couple days ago. It seems like it's getting harder and harder to get a POTD. I do love this time of year though.

DAY 262

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

- e.e. cummings

A grape mustache. A big smile. A happy boy. Life is good.

So glad the day ended on a better note than it started. So great to see genuine joy, the kind you just can't fake.

Update:

It's been a long week, but we've enjoyed beautiful weather here in the midwest. 70s and sunny. Rain is forcasted for this coming week, so we've been soaking it up while it lasts. Little Man's soccer game today went much better than Thursday night when they got crushed. It was painful to watch. I was worried it could be an indicator of games to come, but they won 8-0 at today's game (putting my concerns to rest). Little Man got 2 goals and 1 assist and he claims he had fun even when they lost miserably. I guess it's not all about winning and I'm glad Little Man has his priorities straight. Thanks for the reminder Little Man. Pokey's ice skating went well today also and they've decided to move her up to the next level because she's completed the requirements in level 1. She was starting to get a little bored, so this will be good. Piano didn't go so well this week. Only made it 8 minutes into Little Man's lesson and didn't fit Pokey's in with the soccer schedule. Hopefully we can play catch up next week. The guinea pigs are doing well. Little Man has been very responsible with the cleaning and feeding schedule. We got an enclosure so they could go outside. We couldn't put them on the grass since it's treated, so we put them in the bark in the back and they loved it. So far so good. They are very funny creatures, always wide eyed and alert with strange little sounds. We clipped their nails this week... a bit of an adventure. Not too much else to report. We're keeping busy and making our way.

DAY 261

"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one." -John Lennon

As we drove to Haldan's work dinner tonight we happened upon these protestors in downtown Cedar Rapids... love the "Wavy Gravy Loves Peace" sign. I thought it would be a very relevant photo to include in my scrapbook for the year.

DAY 260

The Gray Squirrel

The gray squirrel, scientific name Sciurus Carolinensis, is a mammal in the rodent family that has been in North America for over 37 million years. Many factors have contributed to its long life. Its ability to plan for the future is what a squirrel is best known for. Every fall, the gray squirrel spends its day gathering nuts and seeds. Then it hides them so it will have enough food to last through the winter and into the fall. The squirrels hiding pattern is called scatter hoarding. The squirrel will bury its food in hundreds of different locations, that way if another squirrel or animal finds one, the rest will remain. The squirrel cleans each nut or seed before it is hidden, this leaves a scent which the squirrel can find later in the winter. Because of this scent, the squirrel can find its buried food even through a heavy blanket of snow. Not all nuts or seeds are recovered, since a squirrel will save more food than it really needs. These nuts or seeds then grow into trees and a forest is grown. Squirrels are responsible for planting more trees than all of mankind. www.squirrels.org/gray.html

These little guys are busy at work gearing up for the winter ahead. If it's anything like last winter they have their work cut out for them. We ran into this one as we were getting ready to leave for school. I don't know if they are extra stressed, but while doing yard work the other day I saw a squirrel throw a fit like I've never quite seen before. I must have upset him for some reason and he took off up a tree and about fell off multiple times, all the while making obnoxious noises (almost like a bird?) and staring me down. Very amusing. He might have been deranged.

Just a side note: Life has gotten busy and I'm running out of time and ideas for pics. I'm trying desperately to hang on. Any ideas?? We ended up getting dinner on the table at 7:45 tonight and then Little Man still had dishes, homework, and shower left. He just got in bed and it's 9:30PM. Not sure how to have warm home cooked meals and activities. I'm sure I'll find that balance. Maybe better planning or crock pot meals are in order.

Recipe Card Blog Train

Don't know if you've seen this September recipe blog train, but it's worth a look. Here is the link to get started. At each stop you get 2 recipe cards. You get one card with recipe and one without text to do as you wish. Thought this went nicely with the project I've been working on. It's great to be able to be a recipient of such great talent. Enjoy.

DAY 259

"There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk. " Jean-Paul Sartre

It always amazes me how even an old rickety barn can look beautiful in the right light through the lens of my camera. Tonight in between shuffling kids to and from activities I went in search of a picture. My goal was a sunset, but it came and went too quickly. When I got home and reviewed my pictures I was surprised at the beauty of this farm. Too often we drive by and don't give it a second thought. We have farm land all around us and yet we never think of it for it's beauty. I'm thankful that the Lord, in all his infinite wisdom, decided to change up the landscape so that there is diversity from state to state. It is quite different from the mountains of the west or the oceanviews along the coastlines, but it's home to us and it's beautiful in it's own right.

Just a quick side note: I worked hard on Pokey's hair this morning to make it super cute. After school we were talking about it (by then it had lost most of it's cuteness and one of the rubber bands had broken- two ponies became one messy one). She told me no one gave her any compliments and infact while standing in line to go into her classroom (before school) some boy asked her why she still had "bedhead". Still processing... and trying hard to not let it get to me.

DAY 258

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million." -Walt Streightiff

Only 8 years behind.

Still working on Pokey's baby book when time allows. Not sure I will ever get done. I still haven't come up with a theme and am now doing pages in no particular order. It's a slow process. I hate to have more than one project going at a time, but I'm trying to deal... it seems life is just that way.

FYI: "What fonts do you use?" is my most commonly asked question. My favorites are: CK Becky, CK Ali's Hand, 1942 report, 3 theHard way RMX, Depressionist Three. All are available for free download. You can get the CK Becky font here. (All of these scrapbook pages are with the CK Becky, as in Becky Higgins from Creating Keepsakes.) If you've never added fonts to your computer let me know and I can add a tutorial.

DAY 257



"Candy corn is the only candy in the history of America that's never been advertised. And there's a reason. All of the candy corn that was ever made was made in 1911." -Lewis Black

It's the candy corn curse! The second we saw it at the store Little Man had to have it. I told him maybe next time, that if we got it this early we'd all be sick of it by Halloween. But then it was on sale at my next visit and I couldn't resist. We've had a jar of it in the kitchen for 2 days and it's magically disappearing. They are so naughty and delicious... maybe next time I should opt for the individualized packets.

In other news:

• Haldan and I ran 5K today. So, I've finally made it over the hump again. It's been a while now. I have no intentions of ever doing a marathon, but would like to be able to run 5 miles without dying... I think a good goal for anyone.


• Haldan helped Lisa Jarbo change her flat tire today since her husband is away in AR. Haldan wasn't so sure about the stow and go after trying to get that spare tire from under the car. (To make it worse it was right prior to work so he was in his dress clothes.) Sorry you didn't make the POTD slot. But I do have to say I've never seen any tires quite that bad in my life. She's lucky they lasted as long as they did. I've seen thread baren, but these had metal exposed all the way around. Ok, you have to see it for yourself. The good news is that she managed to make it to the tire store before the other one blew.

DAY 256

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." - Henry David Thoreau

I loved the extraordinary colors that these koi possess. It made me think of how blessed we are to live in a world of infinite colors.

Sunrise Smoothie

Here's a healthy one for ya. I got this one at an Enrichment at church. I've been trying to add more fruits and veggies to the children's diet, especially since I learned that recommendations have changed. They are now saying we should get 9 servings of fruits & veggies daily. Little Man loved it. Pokey not so sure, but we'll keep at it. (FYI: I did add the flax seeds and you really can't tell.) Enjoy.

DAY 255

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” Henry Van Dyke

Today was Pokey's first day of ice skating lessons. She's been begging, so here goes. It's only a 6 week session and I think by then she will be more than ready for the next level. Little Man had soccer pictures and his first game of the season today. I just learned that he is in U10 and his friends from school are in U11. This is the first time that I've noticed his age being an issue. This is only our 2nd year with AYSO and it turns out they have an Aug 1st deadline for birthdays. Little Man's falls on Aug 8th. So, most of the kids on Little Man's team are 8 or 9 and range from 2nd-4th grades. He's 10 and in 5th grade and is unable to play or compete with his friends. At today's game he got one goal and one assist and 10 or 12 close ones. The problem is his skill level is not the same as most of the kids on his team, so there wasn't back up he needed. Total bummer. If I'd known sooner I'd have contested it and I'm sure he could have been in the U11 league. Lesson learned. Haldan's trying to convince me that he'll be fine. Still not there. It seems life is full of lessons these days. Some more painful than others.

I love the above picture because the opposing #35 really is as big as he looks and Little Man showed no fear.

In other news:

• Haldan participated in another fishing tournament today near Dubuque. He caught a 16 in, 1.98 lb bass, a bluegill and a large northern pike that got away as he tried to bring it in the boat. I think he had a good time, but no fish were photographed. It was some much needed R&R after his last few grueling weeks of stress with the studying and exams... and it's not over yet.
• Little Man has declared that he wants to play tackle football. I've been trying to avoid this for some time, mostly because I would like to preserve him. We checked into it and we've more than missed the cutoff for this season. Shucks. We'll have to wait and see it he still exhibits interest next year. Just a reminder, this is our 53 in, 60 lb 10 year old. Maybe as a running back or wide receiver? (I also found out that flag football ends in 4th grade here.)

Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe Card

Another recipe card for download. It's a 4x6 size, JPG format, so you should be able to right click and save it to your computer. Then print it out. Enjoy.

DAY 254

Cheesy Potato Soup

1 medium stalk celery (optional)

2 cans (14oz each) chicken broth

1 bag (32 oz) frozen diced hash brown potatoes

1/2 cup onion diced (fresh or frozen)

1 cup water

1 cup milk

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 bag (8 oz) shredded Cheddar-American cheese blend (2 cups)

4 medium green onions

1/4 cup bacon pieces (real or packaged)

Prep Time: 15 min, Cook Time: 25 min, Makes: 6 servings. Put chopped celery, chicken broth, potatoes, onion, and water in the saucepan. Cover with lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Put the milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir with a wire whisk until mixed. Add to pan and turn heat up to high. Do not cover saucepan. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 6-8 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Add the cheese to the pan. Stir until mixed. Take saucepan off of burner. Top with green onions and bacon bits.

This recipe is a family favorite. Pokey actually asked for it for her birthday dinner. It's very quick and can be easily doubled. It's yummy with the Panera sour dough bread. It comes from the Betty Crocker "Kids Cook" book. We had it tonight right before soccer practice. I admit I don't like to spend much time in the kitchen, so I love meals that take 30 minutes or less from start to finish. I'm on a mission to find as many quick recipes as possible that my kids will eat. (FYI: We don't add the celery.)

Drum roll please.

August 1st Place Nature/Scenery Category is:

August 2nd Place Nature/Scenery Category is: (tie)

August 2nd Place Nature/Scenery Category is: (tie)

August 1st Place People/Other Category is:

August 2nd Place People/Other Category is: (tie)

August 2nd Place People/Other Category is: (tie)

Update on the Spider

Thanks to Angela, Tonya, Haldan, Sarah, and Mom. The consensus is a black-and-yellow Garden Spider Argiope aurantia

• Yellow garden spiders breed once a year. The males roam in search of a female, building a small web near or actually in the female's web, then court the females by plucking strands on her web. Often, when the male approaches the female, he has a safety drop line ready, in case she attacks him. After mating, the male dies, and is sometimes then eaten by the female.
  
• She lays her eggs at night on a sheet of silky material, then covers them with another layer of silk, then a protective brownish silk. She then uses her legs to form the sheet into a ball with an upturned neck. Egg sacs range from 5/8" to 1" in diameter. She often suspends the egg sac right on her web, near the center where she spends most of her time. Each spider produces from one to four sacs with perhaps over a thousand eggs inside each. She guards the eggs against predation as long as she is able. However, as the weather cools, she becomes more frail, and dies around the time of the first hard frost.
  
• In the spring, the young spiders exit the sac and are so tiny that their collection of bodies look like dust gathered inside the silk mesh. Some of the spiderlings remain nearby, but others exude a strand of silk that gets caught by the breeze, carrying the spiderling to a more distant area.

Totally grossed out!! Just so you know the picture was actual size of the sac. So, there ya have it. Just your garden spider at work.

DAY 253

"The one thing children wear out faster than shoes is parents." -John J. Plomp

Little Man came home from school in his "GRUMPY GROOVE" as I like to call it. Once he gets in this groove it's hard to bring him out of it. When I went down to talk with him I found him in his happy place... with his LEGOS. We have dedicated a portion of our unfinished basement entirely to legos. He's been building this fortress for some time now and hopefully it will bring him out of the groove he's in. If not, heaven help me... I'm in for a long night. I was home sick with a stomach thing today and Haldan is again gone. Little Man has been going through a difficult time as of late. I was hopeful that it was just a phase, but now I'm not certain. I'm concerned as his mother and only hope that he can learn to properly deal with his feelings. I know that he is a good kid and has a big heart. He has so much potential for good... just missing my sweet little boy.

DAY 252

Arachnophobes Beware!

So, Little Man brought home this honkin spider a couple days ago in his little cage. I told him he needed to keep that thing outside. (This is not Charlotte.) Right before school today he called me outside. "Mom, ya gotta see this" he said. This is the lovely image I saw. The spider had magically made this egg sack, this ginormous egg sack. So many questions came to mind... How many spiders are in that thing? Should I kill it before it hatches? How did she make it? How long til they come out? What kind of spider is that thing? Not a fan of spiders. Don't mind mice or furry critters, at least most of them. But, hate spiders! My sister Tonya could tell you stories, I'm sure. At one point we lived in this house out in Ackworth, IA in the country. The house was infested with wolf spiders (large furry ones) and Tonya had the downstairs bedroom. She was a brave soul until she saw one of them jump from the floor to her bed. I think she slept upstairs after that. We shared that bathroom in the basement and if we left any particle of clothing on the floor there would be several that would scatter upon removal of the item. We would spray them and they would walk away covered in white foam and live. Don't know how long we lived in that house, but it totally did me in. I decided it must have been their central headquarters. Wish my parents would have got an exterminator. Needless to say, when Little Man brings his crazy looking spiders home I cringe just a little inside, even when they are enclosed. I did a little research and can't figure out what kind of spider this is. Little Man thinks it's a crab spider. Any guesses?

Tonight when we were talking more about the spider the children shared an interesting tale. I would call it a tall tale except that both of them were in on it and that is a rarity around here. They never conspire together and I do vaguely remember them mentioning something about a spider. They said a few days ago they saw a really big spider crossing the road. They tried to pick it up with tweezers (the green ones that come in the bug set) and it popped and all of the babies came out. They said there were tons. Pokey might have said hundreds, which is most likely an exaggeration. Don't know much about spiders, but thinking that number is high. I'm sure it looked like a lot though- not disputing that. The story really grossed me out though.

I was going to post the winners for August, but there appears to be a 3 way tie for 2nd place in the people category and a 2 way tie for 2nd in the nature category. It's also a close one for 1st in that category. Please vote and break these ties!! And thanks to all who have voted in the last few days.

DAY 251

“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.” Albert Camus

It's been one of those days... the kind that never seem to end. I didn't sleep well last night and woke to the start of a migraine. The morning started way too early and I quickly showered so I could tend to the children. I worked, came home to swap loads, picked the kids up, did Little Man's piano lesson, provided first aid to neighborhood kids, helped with homework, helped clean the guinea pigs cage, had dinner, broke up feuds, read books, more laundry, tucked kids, tidied the kitchen, gave Pokey medicine, had prayers, and then... I thought about my picture of the day. I'm sure it's an all too familiar tune for most of you moms out there. Haldan has been working until midnight, so when I got home he was already gone. Unless I consciously think about it the POTD is forgotten. Luckily I managed this one today. Life is getting busier and it's getting harder to remember. I'm 2/3 of the way in. I can't stop now.

I do so love this time of year though... It's by far my most favorite season. I remember when I lived in Washington and I would go on drives for the sole purpose of "finding fall". Of course I was always disappointed, as it's soggy and green year round. We have a maple tree in the woods next to us that is always first to turn. It's beautiful right now. So this photo is for those of you who don't get to enjoy Autumn as I do.

Crayola coloring pages of YOUR photos!

Got this idea from http://www.theivanovskys.blogspot.com/. If you haven't checked out this blog yet, you should at least mark it in your favorites. This is a really cool deal! You can upload your own photos and they make it into coloring pages...

Go to www.crayola.com/colorme When the page asks you to "try me" or "enter code," click on enter code, register, and then enter code PR24QCHT
With this code you will have 24 hours to upload and print your coloring book page created out of your actual photo. You can upload and save five photos at a time, but after printing, you can replace any of the saved files with a new uploaded image. You also can scale the image and adjust the darkness of the page.

DAY 250

"Man does not cease to play because he grows old, he grows old because he ceases to play." -Drew Lachey

Today was a much needed day of nothing... movies, errands, yard work, playing at the park, grilling, catching up. Yeah for Labor Day! We made the kids watch a small video about why Labor Day came about. Little Man gets it, but Pokey is still a little clueless. She's feeling a little under the weather though, so I'll give her a break. She's become a hypochondriac- taking her temp every hour to see if she's running a fever. We're not sure if she has allergies or a small cold, but it doesn't seem to be anything to worry about. That's our drama queen.

If you haven't yet voted and have one picture that stood out from the rest, please vote. The voting will end soon. For a refresher you can check out the calendar here. Don't forget you can also click on the August archives and it will take you through the pictures quickly. Hope that helps. For those of you that get this via email you have to actually go to the blog at www.weloveiowa.blogspot.com. Leave a comment or email your favorites. And thanks to all of you that cast your votes so quickly. It's a close one this month and a few more could make a huge difference.

DAY 249

"Our Heavenly Father has organized us into families for the purpose of helping us successfully meet the trials and challenges of life. The home also exists to bless us with the joys and privileges of family associations. Our family is our safety place, our support network, our sanctuary, and our salvation." (Rex D. Pinegar, Ensign, May 1990)

A big thank you to Becky Ford for doing such a wonderful job with our family photos. We did them this evening in a remote location along Indian Creek. Wish we would have started about 30 minutes earlier. We started about 7PM and it got dark a little too soon. We were unable to get any great pictures on the bridge due to poor light and Pokey's bloody nose. We had absolutely no tissues, so our photographer literally took her shirt off her own back to rescue her. Luckily she'd worn two, but a selfless act nonetheless.

After doing some research I just wasn't satisfied with the quality of photos available, especially for the price tag. I am excited that Flash Digital Portraits (at Coralville Mall) now does photos on location, but still a little pricey. I just want to get as many poses as I want and then go home with a CD to do as I wish. Sounds like a business in the making. My friend Becky also enjoys photography, so we decided to do a swap. We figured if it didn't work out we're not out anything.

I've been thinking how much things have changed since the kids were little. It wasn't but a few years ago that I got my EOS 20D. What a world of difference a camera can make. The children were born before digital and when they were toddlers I got my first digital camera. I think it was an HP and it was extremely slow. By the time the camera took the picture the children were never in the frame. Needless to say I didn't take many photos. (Hard to believe, I know.) We didn't even have a camcorder. I know the kids get tired of seeing the camera, but I feel so blessed at the ease I am able to document their lives now.

DAY 248

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it." -John Wooden

Little Man has started back to soccer. I'm sure there will be more soccer pics to come- his first game is next week.

Other highlights:

We learned Pokey has an extreme phobia of cobwebs. One morning before school her and Little Man were outside letting two toads go when I heard crying (the kind that sounds serious). I assumed she had gotten hurt, but later learned she had brushed up with a cobweb under the weeping pussy willow. Even after we talked to her the sobbing continued. Hopefully it didn't last long at school. She has some interesting phobias.

Little Man is excited to be the spelling guru in his class. He got the highest score on his spelling pretest. (No surprises there.) He says he gets to check everyone else's tests and sit in the "special chair".

His academics are great, but he's struggling socially. He says he doesn't have friends to play with at recess. This is the same school he's gone to since kindergarten. I know he knows almost everyone in the school, but for some reason is being "shy" as he puts it. I gave him the annual interview on the voice recorder today and he says he has two new friends, so we'll have to see how the next weeks unfold.

Recipe Cards

This is in a 4x6 format. Just right click and save it. Thought I'd share my recipe cards as I make them. I'm on a mission to redo my recipes... so more to come. If you have any favorite family recipes, please feel free to send them my way.

DAY 247

"Any landscape is a condition of the spirit." Henri Frederic Amiel

As I was out running this morning I took a different turn and found this pond. I was instantly drawn to the beautiful lily pads. I didn't have my camera with me, so I went back later to snap some photos. I was again reminded of the beauty that is around us if we but look for it.

I have found a new favorite recipe that I got from my friend Michelle. (Possibly a Martha Stewart?) I don't often make homemade cookies (too tempting), but I wanted to celebrate the completion of the kid's first full week of school. They are flourless and very tasty. They are not too difficult to make, although a wooden spoon was broken while mixing today. If you don't have a great monster cookie recipe, you should give it a try.

Monster Cookies
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
½ tbsp light karo syrup
1cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
½ tbsp vanilla
4 tsp baking soda
3 cups peanut butter
9 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms

It helps to have butter and peanut butter mixed together first. Mix in order given. Place balls of dough on cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flatten with wet bottom of glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Don’t overbake. Use very large pot or bowl to mix in.

BTW, I'm looking for organizational ideas for recipes. I consider myself a pretty organized person, but when it comes to recipes it's a bit of a disaster. I've been in search of a new system. Let me know if you have something that works well or have heard of anything.