Some Birds and a Few Bees

At dinner last night, Claire asked us "How does a baby get inside a mother's womb?" We asked her to clarify her question--was she really asking what we thought she was asking? She was. I told her I would talk with her after dinner, I needed some time to think about my answer.

I have been thinking that she would ask sooner or later. We have looked at lots pictures of developing babies in-utero (especially since I became pregnant) and handled the baby models at Pro-Life booths at the county fair. It is only logical to wonder at some point how it all happens.

I purposefully checked out a bunch of books about plant reproduction this past spring to read aloud as we began to work in the garden. I thought that being able to talk about male and female plant parts would be an easy way to explain everything when the question finally came up. I was right, it was really helpful that she already knew that a "male part" and a "female part" had to come together to form a seed or in this case a baby. I got out our copy of In the Womb so she could see pictures of the sperm and the egg coming together and told her that this was conception. All said and done, it wasn't so bad, especially because she loved looking at the rest of the pictures in the book of the developing baby. I am dreading her future question about how the sperm actually gets inside the woman's womb (as she calls it). How do I explain that to a girl with no brothers?

Claire is 6!

My big girl!

Grandma had a birthday too! I won't tell how old Mom.

Claire received a lot of thoughtful gifts. Chris and I gave her the "pink scooter" she has been requesting since riding on cousin Michaela's scooter. She was very happy to give it a test ride.

Lighthouse Family

Chris and the big girls got to climb to the top...I had to change Izzy's dirty diaper. Somehow that doesn't seem fair. :)

Field of Sunflowers

Vacation Pictures

I didn't take that many pictures. Jeannette could you send me some please?

Sauna Pictures

Here are pictures of Chris' fully operational hot box. We are the talk of the town! Did you see that sauna at the pastor's house? He got it up to 189 degrees last time he fired it up. Too hot for me.

Izzy Lu Who

Scribbling with/ eating crayons. A favorite pastime.

Good Friend

My friend Lauren came to visit this past weekend. It was nice to see her in person, it had been a while. Even though my husband had met her in college, the first time I met her I was "out-to-here" pregnant with Claire, wearing some hideous yellow dress that only fits when I am 9 months pregnant, hot, and really crabby. Thankfully, she liked me anyway and we have been friends since.

She was able to witness my life with three kids firsthand this past weekend--my disorganized cabinets, tired and naughty children, an ER visit, and pew wrestling on Sunday morning. Honestly I am embarrassed and frustrated at the state of my current life (I wish I could get it together!), but appreciated her patience with us, her kind words, and her ability to make me laugh. I certainly think that she noticed the chaos around her, but overlooked it in a way a good friend does. Thank you Lauren! Your visit meant a lot.

Cheese Soup

I made soup yesterday. It was 84 degrees outside and it just sounded good to me and to Claire who requested it. Whatever. Here is the recipe...maybe you can wait until a crisp fall day to give it a try.

Great Cheddar Soup

3 T butter
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 rib celery, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T flour
2 1/2 c chicken broth
2 1/2 c half-and-half
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne
3 T dry sherry
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (3 cups)
salt and pepper

Heat butter until foaming, add onion and cook until softened. Add carrot, celery and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until mixture begins to brown on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half and add bay leaf. Increase heat and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes.

Off heat, add cayenne and sherry, cool for 1 minutes. Slowly whisk in cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

**I used 1 1/4 cups of milk and 1 1/4 cups half-and-half. I also added one 16 oz. bag of cooked California mixed vegetables.

Ouch

Lily was riding on the handlebars of Chris' bike on Saturday. It is just one of those things that the girls do with their dad. Her sandal strap got caught in the spokes and ended the ride with lots of blood and tears. Chris took her to the ER. We were worried that her ankle might have been broken. The x-rays came back showing no broken bones, but her heel had no skin left. The doctors treated her like a burn victim, prescribing a cream to aid in the growth of new skin and sent her home with lots of bandages, gauze, and Disney princess stickers.

Lily has been doing well. She can't walk yet, so instead crawls to get around. Isabel is loving someone at her level, as well as someone who is slower than she is. I couldn't find Claire and Lily in the house yesterday because they were outside in the sandbox--"I just crawled out here Mom." Duh.

Her heel is already starting to look a lot better. Hopefully there will be lots more improvement before our annual camping trip on Monday. Eek.

**NOTE: This was our second trip to the ER in six weeks. Claire was performing a magic trick and swallowed a quarter which had to be surgically removed. Kind of scary. Didn't have time to blog about it. Imagine that, not having the time!