Living on the Edge

The Queen of Questions...and answers!

My dear 10 year old daughter CC is, if I hadn't said this before, full of questions.  Well and answers too!  Her latest nickname is Wikipedia.  She is spouting little known facts about huge hairy spiders in Iraq, and how an engine works, and how licorice is made, and why the sky is blue...well you get the drift.  Car rides can be very long with her sometimes.  We all just sit back and listen...and learn too!

So on our way to Silverwood yesterday, she asked...

"Dad, why do we celebrate the 4th of July?"  Notice she asked her father and not me...she must have wanted the long-winded-just-tell-me-answer and not her mom the teacher who gives the why-do-you-think-we-do-kind-of-answers.

DD and I were a bit surprised by the question.  We gave each other the what-ever-do-they-teach-you-in-school-look and then filled her in on the details.  It's funny what gaps there are in a child's knowledge.  Makes me wonder what gaps are in other kids heads...as well as in some adults too!

One of the questions she had was "what exactly did they do on the 4th to make them choose the 4th?"

I thought that was a good question so I looked it up.  (Apparently there were some gaps in our learning too...though I think it is more due to age not a lack of learning!)

Here's what I discovered:

By 1776 the colonists were fed up with Great Britain trying to make them follow more rules and pay higher taxes (wow, doesn't that sound familiar?)  People started getting mad and began making plans to be able to govern themselves.  They wanted to become an independent country.

So the Congress met in Philadelphia and they appointed a committee (doesn't everyone) to write a formal document that would tell Great Britain to buzz off.  The committee asked Thomas Jefferson to write a draft of the document (passed the buck on to yet someone else!).  So he did this in secret and on June 28 the committee read his copy. After revisions the committee  declared their independence on July 2, 1776.  They officially adopted it on July 4, 1776.  (not sure what they were doing the two days in between--shopping the sales at Safeway for the big Bar-B-Q?)

The actual signing of the official Declaration of Independence didn't even happen until August 2nd!  (Guess that would have been too close to Labor Day....actually I'm sure it had to do with the fact that it was all done by men.  You know how well they keep track of important dates!)

So that was the abbreviated history refresher for the night.  Back to paying the bills that keep coming each month in the mail.  What was that part about getting mad because of the higher taxes and more rules.  Would that be the new cell phone law?  Or perhaps the law that my 12 year old can't ride in the front seat until she is 14?  Is there somebody writing a new Declaration out there yet?  I'd sign! :-)

Father's Day Gift Specials

I posted this on the SpokaneMama Blog, but it's a great deal and no matter where you live...you can take advantage of it!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for dad?  The online store: Knives and Multitools.com has put together special gift packages that you can purchase only through the link below...right here on my blog!

Dave, a fellow who works with my husband, owns this website.  It's his second job.  In his first he is out protecting everyone from the interesting characters you see on Cops on Saturday night.  He has put together some fun gift combinations that would be sure to please a variety of dads:

Kits for...the Fishing Dad, the Hands on Dad, the Hunting Dad, the Military Dad, the Law Enforcement Dad, and the Fire Fighter Dad.

Click on this link to find the specials:  Exclusive SpokaneMama Father's Day Deals

All the knives are of the highest quality and Dave added fun accessories to go along with them.  In addition to surprising dad with a cool gift this year, you will be supportinga local business!

A Belated Mother's Day

Well, this is the third time that I've started typing this post.  If you are reading this it means that MSN didn't fail and send my typing into far nethers of webdom.  Of course if you aren't reading this you won't know that I am screaming and throwing my laptop across the room in a fit of frustrated web-psychosis.  Actually I wouldn't dare throw my laptop...because it's my friend now.  I'm not sure how I got along without it...mostly because it's off limits for the kids...so I know if something isn't working right...I messed it up!

We celebrated mother's day a week late this year because DD had to work.  The girls planned a special day for me. They whispered about it all week. They were so excited to have a secret that I didn't know.  It's fun that they are old enough now to actually keep a secret.

So Sunday afternoon we headed downtown and ended up at Riverfront Park.  The falls are incredibly high right now with the extreme spring run-off. So a favorite spot right now, for tourists as well as the local population, is the Riverfront Park's Gondolas.  It's normally a great photo opportunity, only made better by the river's high flow.

The gondolas take you down and over the river.

 

It was hot out, but the mist from the falls kept us cool.

It's not an incredibly long trip...but it's fun.  Of course Q was so relaxed throughout the ride.

Yup, that's her grip.  I don't think she let go until it was time to disembark back at the top!

She looks like she's having fun!  She is...as long as you don't make her let go of the railing.

This goose had a nest with a view of the river.  Our gondola went past her and her nest on the cliff.  I bet those babies have a short learning curve for learning to swim and probably for flying too.

This little troll was also there to greet us at the turnaround point  across the river.

Of course the girls knew that second to having a family day, my favorite part of the day would be the chance to take some fun pictures!

Happy Mother's Day

A friend sent me this email.  I thought it was pretty sweet and perfect for Mother's Day.  It's like one of those Hallmark commercials, the ones that can trigger the mommy tears.

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth

tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and

helpless?" God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and

will take care of you."



The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't

have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said,"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for

you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."



Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to

understand when people talk to me if I don't know the

language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most

beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with

much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."



"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and

will teach you how to pray."



"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means

risking its life."



"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and

will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I

will always be next to you."



At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices

from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked,

"God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."



God said, You will simply call her, "Mom."

Happy St. Patrick's Day

The wonderful aroma of corn beef and cabbage will soon be emanating from our kitchen....and I will have nothing to do with it!  Well, I did do the grocery shopping trip.  I'll take credit for selecting the plumpest cabbage and the firmest potatoes and the most medium of onions.  But there the credit must stop.

In case you still need the recipe...I've got the perfect Corn Beef and Cabbage and Irish Soda Bread Recipes on this blog.  In the meantime, I have to head off to my daytime persona...2nd grade teacher.  The Leprechauns will be making a visit to a certain classroom today.

Irish Recipes

When thinking of St Patrick's Day in America and Irish fare, I think of corned beef, cabbage, sausage and potatoes.  I love the corned beef...the cabbage unfortunately doesn't like me!  But I also love this day because DD does all the cooking!  I like to cook the bread though.  Here are two recipes to make for the holiday.  The Corned Beef recipe is my husband's "secret" method.  It's very yummy.

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups flour

4 tsps baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 1/2 cups raisins (I like those little tiny ones)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a loaf pan.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.  Pour over raisins and caraway seeds in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Mold the dough into a loaf on a floured board.  Place the loaf in a greased pan and bake for one hour, or until the bread is done.

My Irish Husband's Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

(I told him I was only sharing his secret recipe with a couple friends!)

Corned beef brisket (buy one with the seasoning packet included)

small red or white new potatoes cubed (2-3 per person)

3 medium yellow onions cut in halves

4-6 large carrots, pared and cut into chunks

1 large head of cabbage quartered

butter

To prepare the brisket.  Take it out of its package and rinse it.  Place it fat side down in a large pot on the stove. Fill pot with water to level 3 to 4 inches above the brisket.  Add the seasoning packet.  Take ONE onion cut it in half and put it on the brisket.  Put the carrots and the potatoes on top of that. Bring it to a boil.  As soon as it boils, turn the heat down low and let it simmer very low for 2-3 hours or until the potatoes are done and you can break the meat of the brisket apart with a fork.

Next add the remaining onions.  Simmer till the onions are cooked. 

Now here's the big secret.  Remove it from the heat.  Let it stand.  Take another pot.  Skim the scum off the top of the water and toss it.  Take 8-12 cups of broth out of the meat pot and put into a second pot. Place the quartered cabbage (with the heart removed) into that pot.  Top it off with additional water till the cabbage is covered.  Boil until the cabbage is cooked.  You know the cabbage is cooked when you can stick a fork into the thickest part and it will fall apart.  This will only take about 3-5 minutes of boiling.

Skim the vegetables out of the pot with the brisket. Put into a serving bowl.  Remove the cabbage, put in a separate serving bowl and top with a couple tablespoons of butter.  Remove the brisket.  Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices diagonally across the grain.  It's easiest to do if you place the brisket fat side down on the cutting board.

You can serve with assorted mustards, horse radish, brown beer, and Soda Bread. 

Side note/intersting fact:  While this is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner, it is truly an Irish American meal.  They never traditionally cooked this in Ireland!

A Ranching Love Story

It's Valentine's Day.  The chocolates, the cards, the special romantic dinner....o.k. maybe your husband is working and the kids are sick.  You can still read a great love story to warm every corner of your heart.  The Pioneer Woman is a great teller of tales.  Her story of meeting her husband will make you laugh, make you cry, make you wish for the hunk of a man she married...LOL!. 

Check it out at ThePioneerWoman.com 

Happy Valentine's Day!

“When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open and love steps forth to heal everything in sight.”
—Michael Bridge

I hope everyone has a wonderful day, whether you get to spend the day with a loved one or not!  Do something fun!

Valentine's Day cards

Valentine's Day is next week!

My girls are almost beyond the age of exchanging Valentines with friends at school.  Now they just like to make some for special friends and family. 

They love making cards. They spent over a week in January making Christmas thank you cards to send to everyone.  They were really good too!  I was impressed with what they created with the paper in the scrap box!  Very clever kids!

Starting from scratch can take awhile, so here are some links to sites for downloadable art as well as cards.  For the procrastinaters I've included some E-Card links as well!   (yeah, that would be me...really I do mean to make the cards.  I try...but I just can't find enough time in the day to do everything on my list that needs to be done!  Anyone want to come do my laundry this week?)

www.kaboose.com Free downloadable cards your kids can color.

www.printfree.com  Free of charge printing site for calendars, greeting cards, signs, flyers and more.

www.akidsheart.com  Fun clip art, games, and downloadable cards.  (that's where I got the frog above)

www.dltk-cards.com  DLTK has great custom greeting cards to make and download.

www.123greetings.com  Send an online E-Valentine card from this site.

www.hallmark.com  More free E-Valentines to send.

Happy New Year!

So we are all a year older now!  2008!  Who thought it would get here this quickly?!  Is it because we have so much fun that time flies by?  Not sure, but here is a funny to start your new year off with...maybe this is why time is flying by now!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.

As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered. I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:
----the car isn't washed,
----the bills aren't paid,
----there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,
----the flowers don't have enough water,
----there is still only 1 check in my check book,
----I can't find the remote,
----I can't find my glasses,
----and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.

Do me a favor, will you? E-mail this message to everyone you know, because I don't remember to whom it has been sent.

GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. LAUGHING AT YOURSELF IS THERAPEUTIC.