So, what did you and your spouse do together tonight? Anything? Go out on a hot date? Out to dinner? Watch a movie? Oh, me?....what did I do with my hubby tonight? We made pickles together.
Aaron started learning to garden just a few years ago and he's come a long way. It all started with a 10x10 plot of land that he cleared the sod from in hopes of planting a garden. Unknowingly, we bought and planted about 10 different things in that tiny piece of land not understanding how big these garden vegetables get (thankfully, a friend came by and set us straight :) Since then, our garden has expanded to about a 40x15 ft area filled with tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, rhubarb, strawberries and blackberries! We're quite the farmers now!
Our refrigerator drawer was officially packed to the brim with cucumbers so Aaron pronounced it "Pickling Day." He went to the store and bought all the supplies he needed, brought all the canning supplies from the basement, and set to work cutting up his spears. I offered to help, not only because I can't stand other people messing up my kitchen, but because I had nothing better to do and would feel bad simply watching him do all the work.
I cut up the cucumbers and he did the rest! I just stood in the kitchen with him as he canned. We chit-chatted the whole time, just about life, our garden, what to plant next year, etc. We had such a wonderful time! I never dreamed in a million years, when he and I began dating 12 years ago, that I would have so much fun standing in the kitchen making pickles with him. Funny how I was so attracted to his "bad boy" exterior in high school. Ha! He's a PICKLE MAKER....I married a PICKLE MAKER!! What happened to the wallet and chain? The earring? Either our lives have taken a terrible turn to the boring side, or we've just started figuring out some important things about being married. It's about the little moments, just as much as it is about the big ones. So glad I took the time to spend an evening making pickles.....and memories with the one I love.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
A "Gift" From Jude
WARNING: Those of you with weak stomachs need not read any further. This story may or may not tickle your gag reflex and/or make you vomit in your mouth a little bit.
Last night, we were just finishing up unloading everything from our wonderful, 4-day, camping trip. Getting the kids their dinner and baths before a much-needed early bedtime. The camper was in need of cleaning after so much use, so I offered to clean it if Aaron would agree to give the kids their baths. Deal! I actually don't mind cleaning if I don't have a small child trying to stick their hands in the toilet or hanging on to me until my pants fall down, so I saw this as my chance for some solitude.
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.....taking my time, actually. Isn't it sad that I found solace in this little ounce of peace and quiet I was receiving? I was truly enjoying myself.....while cleaning sinks and toilets. Odd.
Aaron comes outside to find me with this word-for-word question. "Soooooo, what is the protocol for poop in the bathtub?" "The protocol?" I reply. We then discussed the situation. It seems that both children were already washed up and simply playing in the tub. Aaron turns to Jude, just in time to notice "THE LOOK." If you are a parent, you know THE LOOK quite well, I'm sure. That red-faced, nasal flaring, breath-holding LOOK that says "No, I'm not ashamed to be pooping right here in front of you. I simply cannot help myself. It must be done no matter what." Aaron catches Jude giving him THE LOOK and throws Maya from the tub without warning before she had the chance to be swimming with any foreign objects. Jude comes out next, but not until after he has skillfully laid 4 landmines in the water. Aaron sends Maya to "swim" in the other tub for awhile as he washes Jude up once again. This is where the question to me about protocol comes in.
Now, you must know that my little sis called me a few weeks ago with this exact same dilemma and Aaron couldn't believe that she didn't know what to do with a tub filled with poo. How ironic. Turns out, it's not something in his repertoire either.
I come inside to handle the situation while he handles the kids. There were a few "floaters," so I decided that those should probably go in the toilet since they were most-likely too big to go down the drain. TMI?? Well, just wait. So, Aaron is pacing back and forth by the door as I clean up and I say, "Well, I'm gonna have to put some of this in the toilet." and I begin to reach into the tub to grab the few pieces of poo with my bare hands. Now.....I have changed a bazillion poopy diapers and gotten so much poop on my hands that I have learned not to freak out about poop. Your hands WILL wash. It is a proven fact....one I've proven to myself many times. Aaron sees me doing this and he nearly gags while saying, "Oh My God, I'm going to throw up! Don't....oh, honey.....no wait....let me get you.....Oh My God....I can't believe you just did that! Disgusting! (insert another gag)" The rest of the poopy just got sent down the drain, cause it all goes to the septic whether it goes down the sink or the toilet around here. Then the tub got a thorough scrubbing.......by me. I got a lot of cleaning done last night!
Glad I had gotten my few moments of solitude while cleaning the camper. God must have known I was going to need them to face the rest of my evening.
Last night, we were just finishing up unloading everything from our wonderful, 4-day, camping trip. Getting the kids their dinner and baths before a much-needed early bedtime. The camper was in need of cleaning after so much use, so I offered to clean it if Aaron would agree to give the kids their baths. Deal! I actually don't mind cleaning if I don't have a small child trying to stick their hands in the toilet or hanging on to me until my pants fall down, so I saw this as my chance for some solitude.
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.....taking my time, actually. Isn't it sad that I found solace in this little ounce of peace and quiet I was receiving? I was truly enjoying myself.....while cleaning sinks and toilets. Odd.
Aaron comes outside to find me with this word-for-word question. "Soooooo, what is the protocol for poop in the bathtub?" "The protocol?" I reply. We then discussed the situation. It seems that both children were already washed up and simply playing in the tub. Aaron turns to Jude, just in time to notice "THE LOOK." If you are a parent, you know THE LOOK quite well, I'm sure. That red-faced, nasal flaring, breath-holding LOOK that says "No, I'm not ashamed to be pooping right here in front of you. I simply cannot help myself. It must be done no matter what." Aaron catches Jude giving him THE LOOK and throws Maya from the tub without warning before she had the chance to be swimming with any foreign objects. Jude comes out next, but not until after he has skillfully laid 4 landmines in the water. Aaron sends Maya to "swim" in the other tub for awhile as he washes Jude up once again. This is where the question to me about protocol comes in.
Now, you must know that my little sis called me a few weeks ago with this exact same dilemma and Aaron couldn't believe that she didn't know what to do with a tub filled with poo. How ironic. Turns out, it's not something in his repertoire either.
I come inside to handle the situation while he handles the kids. There were a few "floaters," so I decided that those should probably go in the toilet since they were most-likely too big to go down the drain. TMI?? Well, just wait. So, Aaron is pacing back and forth by the door as I clean up and I say, "Well, I'm gonna have to put some of this in the toilet." and I begin to reach into the tub to grab the few pieces of poo with my bare hands. Now.....I have changed a bazillion poopy diapers and gotten so much poop on my hands that I have learned not to freak out about poop. Your hands WILL wash. It is a proven fact....one I've proven to myself many times. Aaron sees me doing this and he nearly gags while saying, "Oh My God, I'm going to throw up! Don't....oh, honey.....no wait....let me get you.....Oh My God....I can't believe you just did that! Disgusting! (insert another gag)" The rest of the poopy just got sent down the drain, cause it all goes to the septic whether it goes down the sink or the toilet around here. Then the tub got a thorough scrubbing.......by me. I got a lot of cleaning done last night!
Glad I had gotten my few moments of solitude while cleaning the camper. God must have known I was going to need them to face the rest of my evening.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The new thing for Maya is pretending to be a caterpillar/worm. She pulls on the biggest blanket she can find & crawls around the house with it over her head and dragging behind her. As she wriggles across the carpet, unable to see where she's going, she runs into random pieces of very-solid furniture.....I hear her whisper "ouch" to herself, and then the worm keeps on moving. Every now and then, she'll find me or Jude and "munch" on us just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar does in the book.
Jude has been known to hitch on a ride on The Caterpillar, which Maya finds funny sometimes, and really annoying at others. He also has been known to be terrified of The Caterpillar because sometimes it engulfs him like a Venus fly trap and knocks him clean to the floor.
Yes, weird things happen at our house. Come here at your own risk! The Caterpillar just may come after you next :)
Jude has been known to hitch on a ride on The Caterpillar, which Maya finds funny sometimes, and really annoying at others. He also has been known to be terrified of The Caterpillar because sometimes it engulfs him like a Venus fly trap and knocks him clean to the floor.
Yes, weird things happen at our house. Come here at your own risk! The Caterpillar just may come after you next :)
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