Look who's five...

Olivia's sporting her new rollerblades, dress and lei, here! We spent the day at the zoo with family:
I wish I could use that font (pharmacy, see above) in this text!

Welcome Thumper and Twinkle (with Olivia) to our family! We got them just yesterday.

Baby swiss, anyone?

I'll be updating with more photos of Hannah's strawberry...as it ripens! A short video at Guggisburg Cheese...we had to find a bathroom, quick!

We spent the day in Amish country. Dandelions for me, from Olivia. She'll be 5 in two more days!At Heini's cheese...making cheese. We got to sample lots of scrumptious things, baby swiss (just $3.99/pound) , goat cheese (yum...but it was $12.99 a pound), smoked gouda, fudge, etc. Thank you to all those who have served and serve in the military. Here's a page I did a few years ago (photo is of Rob in Iraq): I treasured each and every letter (there are more than these, but I can't have the pocket in my album bulging)...thank God he's home and safe! It was a hard time for us.

If you click this photo, you can see it up close...Olivia is third from the right...there's a cute lil boy in the center. They did a great job!

Another recital photo! This was afterwards, everyone got carnations, these roses are from Grandma and Peepaw...and Mary & Andrea gave them lovely hydrangeas. Here's a pic of them in the kitchen, with a bouquet I got on the last day of school.

Going to see some butterflies!

She picked out that purple butterfly barrette to wear especially for today! We had Gatorade on our hands, so they would be attracted and want to visit with us...some put it on their noses...so cute.Yesterday Hannah picked that polka-dot headband out at XXI. I love that shop, great prices, I got a few things for myself! I really thought it was interesting how they were attracted to colors like them. I'm sure they have to camoflauge from predators sometimes.

Good thing these girls of mine, don't seem to take after me too much...

I was saying, "Uh, Lisa, two butterflies just landed on you!" (What an expression, eh?) Then, one landed on her daughter's head....she should be taking a picture of that instead of us 3.

A butterfly landed on my foot!

Goodbye!

***Goodnews: My sister Mary and her fiance have discussed their potential move to Kiev, Ukraine and after much thought have told NATO that they can't take the job! I would've really missed her. We all would have, although I know we'd still talk often. I'm glad to have them on the same continent!

Recital video

This is the first time I've shared a video I took, notice the most graceful ballerina in purple on the far left...
...and the cute lil girl in turquoise third from the right, once the video starts playing (when it's "still" she's the 2nd from the right).

A few beautiful rhubarb stalks!
We went to a birthday party this weekend. There was a report of "missing" candy...here is one of the detectives that helped solve the case: Lasagna for dinner!

I sliced up zucchini and layered it in there....

Rhubarb

It is a rhubarb flower! Jessica....you've won!!! I bought this plant just last year and was so happy to see it flourishing this year.

"Consider French crepes with a sweet, ginger-orange-rhubarb compote and vanilla ice cream." I will try making crepes, filled with yogurt, instead and the compote on top:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup flour

Unsalted butter for skillet

1 tablespoon orange or tangelo marmalade

Blueberry stuffing, recipe follows

Rhubarb compote, recipe follows

Mint, for garnish

Blueberry Stuffing:

1 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon granulated maple sugar or syrup

1/2 cup sour cream

Rhubarb Compote:

2 cups cut up fresh or frozen rhubarb

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Whisk in the salt, sugar, and flour. Set aside for 30 minutes. Melt about 1/2-teaspoon butter in a nonstick 8 to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. When it foams, pour or ladle in about 2 tablespoons of batter. Lift and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom. Set pan on the burner and cook just until set and the underside is lightly browned. Using a spatula or your fingers, flip and cook until the other side is lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and continue with remaining batter. Blueberry Stuffing: In a bowl, gently fold together the blueberries, maple sugar and sour cream. Rhubarb Compote: To make the compote, place the rhubarb, orange juice concentrate, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan and cook until the fruit falls apart and the mixture thickens. To serve, place the crepes on a platter and schmear with marmalade. Place a spoonful of the blueberry filling down the center and roll up the crepe. Repeat with remaining crepes. Top off with some rhubarb compote and mint.

My sister, Mary, told me about this recipe-search: http://allrecipes.com/Search/Ingredients.aspx

What a great way to find the perfect recipe for any unusual ingredients you may want to use!

For breakfast this morning, we had oatmeal. Why are they rolled? I bought steel-cut, but would like to get the whole oat, I realize it will take longer to cook, but that's the way God may them and how I'd like them...less-processed and perhaps a lower price to go along.

I'm going to print a thumbnail of this photo...

...to put on this ATC I made yesterday. It's the first time she's had curlers in her hair. I think she's so cute. Unfortunately, her hair is so straight (and beautiful, but the teacher wants them to have curly hair for the recital)....that it didn't last long at all. Andrea brought over her hot-curling iron but that didn't last either (we added mousse and hairspray, too).

P.S. An ATC is an "artist trading card." Usually 2.5 x 3.5" the same size of a playing card (as in a deck of cards) that folks started decorating and trading just for fun. I have joined a few swaps, but really love to make them for myself. A mini work of art, doesn't take much time & I add it to my sleeve of cards (7gypsies manufactures a holder, or put them in a small box....or you can get a baseball card sleeve to go in a binder, if you like)!

Last week of school....

This is the last week of classes for the children in the pre-school where I work. At the end of the week, we will release the butterflies we had since they were little caterpillars and then have a picnic together! Yesterday was my namesday, the day we honor the myrrhbearers, St. Martha was amongst those women who went to the tomb of Christ. Mom gave me a potted mum, which I just put in a planter in the backyard.My parents got some blooming-teas. They were so much fun to watch, as you pour the hot water over them, they opened up, a fragrant jasmine scent and with a little honey...very scrumptious! Sweet little tea party in our backyard!
A happy mother!

Hannah is picking "wheat." The dandelion puffs and tall grass are beautiful to me, to some the weeds may not be pretty, but I prefer it to the neatly manicured lawns (although I do admire them), because this is way more fun, the girls are always collecting seeds and watching the cycle of life.
My little ninjas with their sensei. Usually either Rob or I take the girls to karate, but thankfully we both went on Saturday. We weren't sure about the day of their promotion, but turned out to be a perfect day!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

You're invited to come to Olivia's 5th birthday! The party will be outside on Saturday May 31(although May 29th is the day she was born), so come over to our house 12-2pm. Let your presence be your gift, please.

Here are the costumes for the recitals, which are next week. We just got Hannah's yesterday and looking at the flowers around the neck, she said "This must be from Hawaii, because that is far away." She's been anxious to get it. Olivia's outfit arrived about a month ago.

I hope each and every mom has a wonderful, relaxing day this Sunday. My mom has done many wonderful things, but the love of cooking (my 3 sisters are bakers and chefs, too) is one of the best....and it's even better to eat together with family & friends.

Enter to win some beautiful earrings here: http://daisiesareagirlsbestfriend.blogspot.com/ (P.S. I love her peacock "wallpaper")

This is a page I did last week:

Contest!

See the end of this post for the contest! Did any of you watch Cranford Sunday evening? I almost always enjoy Masterpiece Theatre! I only wish it weren't on so late, I am a (10pm bedtime) morning person. I thought it was wonderful that the town all gave their candles to the new doctor, so he could perform surgery in the middle of the night to save the carpenter's arm! I hope the doctor ends up with the sweet girl who gave him a basket of cherries. I'm looking forward to next week.

It's our parish feast day! We celebrated St. George today and his life is really fascinating. It bothers me that some call his battle against the dragon a legend. In school, why was I taught evolution? Why did my science teachers explain the Big Bang? Do they all assume we already know how God made the earth? Unfortunately, I think many people don't hear or read the Bible, which is really the oldest book! Yes, facts are great, and I have to rely on faith for many things, but this definitely seems more logical to me!Juliana, Hannah and Olivia busy creating together. We played outside a lot this weekend. Jumped on the trampoline lots and lots!Rob and our girls posing for me...we had a fun time trying to fly our kites, it was very windy, but the wind wasn't constant (that's what you get for living in the suburbs, too many houses in the way).

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Can you tell me what flower this is?

Post your answer in the comments section, to win a box of Orange Rooibos Tea, Lemon Honey Sticks, some hand-made cards (from yours truly) and one of my favorite pens. Contest ends Friday May 16th!

I plan to bake another batch of....

I got some neat recipe cards...




http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/mag/article.ihtml?index_field=2161

Slice it so that you have a circle for a slice....and top with this: (click to enlarge)

My sister, Mary, is moving to Kiev, Ukraine (her fiance just got a job there) later this year! Part of me is jealous, she's a world traveller, I wish I could do the same, but having young children, my husband is very protective...of them and me, too.

Practicing on stage....ballet recitals are in two weeks!

Joscie, my scrapping friend from Hawaii, is featured here: http://www.makingmemories.typepad.com/ I love the page she designed! She's awesome and inspiring. Congratulations, Joscie!