Happy Friday

Do my little girls have the best daddy, or what?  Whenever I sense that my two littles are going to ask me to get into the pool with them (or even sit outside in the oven, watching them) I get a sense of dread that makes me want to run away.  Not Daddy.  Daddy's the best.  Daddy says, "Let's go swimming!"  Daddy's awesome.  Someone else here should try to be more like him.


Notice those nice bright Wholesomewear swimsuits?  They have kept their color this year, BUT.  They are completely. stretched. out.  I know what it is -- it's pool chemicals. So much for my chemistry degree. Remember the goggle-eating pool from a previous post?  It also eats swimsuits.  Now what? We have tried to make them last two seasons, but it's just not going to work this time.  I have quite a quandary for a mom of desert kids.  We just aren't going naked, that's all there is to it.  But we want to get wet and have fun, too! I would love to figure out how to design something similar to these suits, something that wouldn't cost an arm to make.  Well, that's one ramble for today... what else can I ramble about?

Emily and I had a good time looking at the map last night, after she told me she wants to take a train to Tanzania. Or China. LOL!  I showed her where Tanzania is, and she said, "Oh! We can't take a train there.  We would have to fly or take a boat!"  I am feeling pretty smug, knowing that my four-year-old has figured out what a map represents.  Her social studies requirement for the year has been met.

The rest of them were supposed to start school last Tuesday.  But, well, we just didn't feel up to it, and SURPRISE!! Daddy said we could put it off a week! (See, didn't I tell you our daddy is the greatest?!)  Now our target starting date is THIS Tuesday.  I am thinking about Shani's recent entry, in which she asked, "Does your high school student finish her work in under four hours?  Does your junior high student finish her work in under two hours?"  I will be able to say NO to the first question, but to the second I will have to say YES.  The junior high age child will skip through her school work as fast as possible, likely missing a few questions and taking all the shortcuts.  The highschool age student will be diligent but will also dawdle, so that will help her to fill up her four-plus hours.   No superachievers in this household, but then, look who they have for an example!  (And no, we aren't really counting hours, just talking about using our brains and accomplishing something in these energetic growing up years.)

This morning, while number 3, number 4, and Daddy were in the pool, number 1 and number 2 and I played with the microscopes we borrowed from the local high school.  Figured it was about time -- school starts soon, and we'll have to give them back!  We looked at red blood cells (mine), cheek cells (mine), a thin slice of carrot, and a very thin piece of onion skin.  I can't remember from my college days which of these things require dye to make a good, visible specimen.  Hmmm, my biology degree isn't helping me, either!  I think my brain is a big black hole of knowledge.  Stuff gets sucked into it, and then poof!  It just disappears!

Second child, the short-cut taker, made us a batch of slow-cooker rice pudding this afternoon, and we are waiting to see how it turns out.  Experimental recipe, of course.  That is so much more fun than making one that we KNOW turns out edible.  I have been asked to make my famous enchiladas for our church's men's meeting next Friday.  Aren't enchiladas, by definition, baked in a sauce?  These are baked topped with salsa.  I don't think that counts.  So we'll call them hot chicken and black bean roll-ups, how's that?  I think I'll post that recipe here -- they really are yummy.

Well, that was about five rambles, and I have met my minimum blogging requirement.  Time to go do something to earn my keep around here!  Have a great weekend, everyone.