The Brant Bunch

I don't have the kind of pots and pans where the lid fits nicely in the pot so that they stack. To keep my cabinet neat I have all the lids in a clear box that I can slide out and find what I need. I do the same for items on the top shelves of my cabinets. I would never be able to reach the indivual items without a stool, but I can pull a basket off the top shelf and return it easily. I keep like items together like all drink mixes in one basket and baking items in another. It's not much but it works for me.

Don't forget to check out the other works for me ideas!

We went camping for the first time on Thursday. We had a great time. The girls loved it. Ally caught eight fish and Samantha caught 5. How great is that. We went fishing and caught fish. The girls caught more fish than Art and his brother. Uncle Joel came with us. Everyone should have an Uncle Joel to take camping. Joel knows all the names of the animals. (I mean really knows) For example that's not just a frog it's a cricket frog. He spent the whole time explaining to the girls what things where, and how they lived. We even had some nosey racoons and saw an armadillo. (Samantha calls it that Texas animal)

One Finger is my idea for today. This will only be good for those of you with very small children. This idea came about because of small fingers and the christmas tree ornaments. When our kids were very little (about 9 mothes or a year) they just wanted to touch everything. So, instead of just saying no we teach them to touch with one finger. We just show them how with our hands, and once those gurbby little hands head towards something they don't need to hold we just say one finger. It allows them to touch without breaking anything. They are happy they got to touch, and we are happy that nothing is broken.

Today was splash day at pre-K. There were kiddy pools, a giant water slide, water guns, and bubbles. One thing for sure ACS knows how to party. While watching my 5 year old having the time of her life I sat on the sidwalk also watching bubba; my one year old. I was trying to keep bubba out of the sun so we were sitting over by the classroom in the shade. This one little boy (We'll call him Ethan) came to the classroom door and put his had on knob and stopped. I thought Ethan must relise he needs to tell the teacher he's leaving the area. A few kids next to him were painting with water and paint brushes. This painting very much intrested Ethan. It must have occured to him that he had totaly been missing out. HE MUST PAINT RIGHT NOW. So, he just pee-ed right there on the sidewalk, and started to paint along side the other kids while standing in his pee. Somethimes I guess there is just no time for the potty.

I did something today that I haven't done in years. First let me say I am a summer girl. I love shorts, hot days, and the pool. I could live in a region where there was no winter and be perfectly happy. I have a friend who live just outside of town, and just bought a small above ground pool. So, she and I enjoyed the pool while our KIDS WERE AT SCHOOL. We layed, and floated with no splashing, no whinning, no demands from little people, and it was so great. What made it even better even that we had worked out at the gym and I'd cleaned some at the house, so I didn't even feel guilty about it.

As the school year ends the summer begins. I love summer. We got just a litle taste of it at our house today. Today was the first day the pool was open. So, we gathered the pool supplies, lathered sun screen on everyone, and headed out to the pool. We always make our first visit of the pool short; just to get back into the grove. We were there a little over an hour and everyone Except the baby fell asleep in the car on the way home. The good news is that the baby LIKES the pool. As the last days of school wind down with programs, splash day, and pool parties we welcome the slower sunny days of summer.

Baby boy is banished from the bathroom. This kid is obsessed with the bathroom. We are all missing our toothbrushes, and the toilet has been stuffed with everything we own. This room really is his favorite place to play. This morning when I shut the door so he could not get in, he cried and cried. Now getting the big kids to keep the door shut....that will be a challenge.

It's time for
WFMW! Today my idea is short and sweet. We love the summer at our house, but without school the days can run together. My kids begin to constantly ask what are we doing, when this is, and when that is. It can just drive me nuts! So, at the start of summer I print the kids calendars off the computer listing all of our pre-planned summer activities. I alway put Sunday church on it because we do that every week and it helps them to understand how long the weeks are. These calendars belong to them so they can mark off the days that have already happened. It helps them to know what is going on, without a million questions for mom.

I love sleeping children. Since my kids were babies I have not only watched them sleep, but held them while they slept. To this day I crawl into the top and bottom buck and snuggle the girls while they sleep. To me this is one of those things that makes it all worth it. The baby on the other hand is just not into mommy's peaceful little moments. You lay a hand on this kid while he is sleeping and tells you to back off. I am really missing these sweet baby moments. Maybe he'll grow out of it soon.....

Our dirty secret is our garage. Well maybe not a secret but it sure is dirty. My job at YCW ended last week and I have two weeks before the girls get out for the summer, so I've decided to clean it out. This is not a one day job. About 20 people stopped to garage sales through my belongs. I did expect this, this is not my first attmpet at cleaning out the garage. (there was a huge amount of things in my yard) What I didn't expect was that after I told them I was not having a garage sale that they would continue to look through my things. That they would not just go away... I had to tell several people more that once, not so politely I was not having a garage sale so they would leave. One little old lady told me I needed to put a sign in the yard that I was not having a yard sale. Even after this conversation this little lady felt the need to check out the kids toys. Many of these people wnated to have long conversations. Don't these people get when them baby is down for his nap you have work to do. So what do you think do I need a I'M NOT HAVING A YARD SALE! sign tomorrow?

I am once again try to join into Work for Me Wednesday over at Rocks in My Dryer

Today my idea is Take Out Talkers. These little boxes are designed to get your family talking about the bible. Each fortune cooking card has a question to help get your family talking. There are questions from "Is it ever hard to forgive?" to "Did Jesus eat all of his vegtables?" You can find them at www.tabletalkers.com My kids love them. They can't wait to pull a card out. We answer our questions at the dinner table.

Last night I attended a high school baseball game in another town. I went with a friend of mine, and we sat among the teens. It was sort of like a fresh breeze listening to them. I feel like I'd forgotten the days when a song was old if it had been released 6 months ago, the dress for the up coming party is sooooo..... important, and this game that we werer at is the single most important game of their lives. These gals were Totaly seniors; no need for mom or dad. It was fun to be among all of that energy, and it was also just a little eye opening.

These young ladies have so much freedom. We were in a town two hours away and two of these girls drove on their own. One of these senior girls drove home by herself in the dark.

This young girl was responsible; in that she left the minute the game was over. She is also a very smart young lady. I am still saying as long as my girls are still in high school they will not drive long distances at night, by themselves.

So, Tell me am I just overprotective?

That's how you know for sure the Hermit Crab is Dead.... I think Samantha's crab has been on it's way out since we brought her home. We burried Sally last night in the dark in our pajama's. Ally donated her very large stone she decorated in Sunday school for the headstone. The girls were up this morning praying over their lost love one.

While cruzin' blogs I came across this really neat blog. It's called works for me Wednesday. If you go to her link Rocks In My Dryer you can link to all the others who are participating.

Here is my Works for Me: My 1st grader had a lot of homework this year. She spent more time whinning about it than doing work. I tried candy treats for each amount of work done, but then she was eating way too much candy. So, I got a big jar, and for each task completed she gets to add a marble to the jar. Once the jar is full she get a bigger treat, like dinner at chuckey cheese or a fun time at put put. (It takes a while to fill up) Homework time is much better in our house.

Yesterday, Samantha and I were cleaning out the hermit crab habitat. Her crab was not moving and would not come out of it's shell. Her crab has always been a little bit shy, but if you touched it's little legs it would at least wiggle some. So, we decide it's dead and we needed to burry it. It was a very sad moment for Samantha including tears. I set it ontop of the counter, to find a box. When I came back she was crawling away. Sally is now back in her habitat hiding in her shell. Anybody know to tell if a hermit crab is dead? I really think her crab is on it's way out.

If you haven't been to the Third Rock ice cream shop you should try it out. The ice cream is similar to Cold Stone. (with the mix-in's)They have a cinnamon ice cream that's just great. We have a deal at our house that on days that you bring home a spelling test with an "A" everybody gets ice cream. They have a patio that the kids like to sit on. I have to admit I thought it's a little warm to sit outside, maybe I can talk them into the cool air conditioning of the inside. There however was no need. They have mister's (like six flags, so we have a very cool and plesant ice cream day. The also have outdoor heaters in the winter, and a movie screen to watch movies on. It located on Judge Ely next to subway.