(More than) Fourinarow.net

A dining experience with the H family:
The menu:  Flank steak, potatoes, biscuits and milk (This is big, people.  I don’t cook much.)
Thinking ahead, I preheated the oven so the potatoes could go in around 4:30 and we could eat around 5:30.  Around 5:15 or so, I wander into the kitchen to start getting the steak [...]

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In the middle of helping out at Sam’s preschool Valentine’s party last week, my iPhone notified me that I had received a voicemail from the nurse at my OB’s office.  Not good.  I had taken the 3-hour glucose test on the previous Friday.  They said they’d call if there was a problem.
Sure enough, I flunked [...]

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For more than a month now our kids have been talking about the upcoming annual “S” Family Pig Roast.  Ever since the date was set for this year’s roast, the kids have been counting down the days, reminiscing about last year and discussing who would be eating which part of the pig.  Maria wanted the [...]

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Despite our inexperience (with plants), we are excited about the growth occurring around here.
Remember our hops plant?

Look at it now!

(Too bad we don’t remember what type of hops plant we planted.  This will make for interesting brewing later on…)
We are also proud to announce the appearance of cherry tomatoes:

And peppers:

Maria’s cantaloupe is coming along, but [...]

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It’s pretty quiet here.  The three older kids are watching the latest movie from the library and Sam is eating and playing at the table.
Usually, this would be cause for a celebration – peaceful time for Mom.  But today I sit… depressed.
Our wonderful, wonderful friends just left for their long trek back to Kansas.  Of [...]

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Jack put on dress clothes instead of his uniform this morning, informing me that that is what his teacher told him to wear.  There had been no note from school, but with it being the last day, I figured it didn’t matter much anyway.
As I dropped him off, he told me to pick him up [...]

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It isn’t often that I give recommendations.  But, sometimes I can’t help myself.  Like now.
I went to the store the other day to pick up a few things for dinner.  We didn’t exactly plan too well before the in-laws arrived.  I mean, we knew we were going to grill flank steaks, but we didn’t have [...]

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Maria graduated from kindergarten today.
In the fall, during the first open house/teacher conference, Maria’s teacher told me, “I’d take a hundred Maria’s.”
Within a few weeks of that, Maria had been “red-carded” several times and started a behavior chart to help keep her in line.  Thankfully, it worked and she pretty much sailed through the rest [...]

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Just a sampling of the things said in the mornings around our house:
Get dressed!  Now.
You’re not dressed yet?
What are you doing?!?
Leave your brother alone.
Go potty.  On the potty.
Get off the dog.
No, you can’t have candy for breakfast. Or cookie dough.
Get that bead out of your nose.
I changed my mind!  I don’t want that!
No toys at [...]

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Yesterday morning I had a doctor’s appointment.  Thankfully, Bert* gets to use sick time to cover the kids for me when this happens.  My appointment was early, so Bert took the kids to school so I could get a shower in beforehand.
Bert has taken the kids to school before, so (despite my control-freak nature) I [...]

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