Chef Lance

We have had good success with our new plan of the kids each choosing one healthy meal each week that they would like to eat. Somehow that magic power of choice makes them magically eat as well. I decided to go up a level and have them cook that meal. Here is Lance with his favorite honey molasses barbeque drumsticks. It is an easy marinade that we just throw on the grill. As supper was served humble Lance said, "I don't hear anyone THANKING me!" Everyone gobbled them up gratefully.

Lance mixing up his marinade and drumsticks.

Here is the recipe for the marinade:

Ingredients:
6 drumsticks, skin removed
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp mustard
1/2 c. molasses
2 garlic cloves, minced
some olive oil
salt and pepper
cracked red pepper

Our Dad, the Rickshaw

This weekend was the most beautiful weather that Virginia has seen (or will see) for months. We decided to take a family bike trip along the W&OD trail. Alan became the bicycling rickshaw with Lance on the tandem behind him and the trailer with Eva and Sadie (and their dolls) attached to that. He received countless comments and amazed looks from passing riders. I took the easier load with just Bridger attached to my bike. Bridger's wonderful physical therapist fit our attached bike seat with a special harness to support his body.

*disclaimer*

I do not feel badly at all about the unequal division of poundage between our two bikes. M-F it is always just me pulling everybody so I thought I should share the load with Alan this time:)

We planned a roundtrip ride from Dulles to downtown Herndon. It didn't seem like it would be a terribly far distance, but with the extra poundage in tow and a 3% incline the whole way there we were soon "feeling the burn". Luckily, our Herndon destination was. . .

We wanted to make sure that we actually didn't burn any extra calories in our trip. The kids didn't know where we were biking too and thought, after the long forest-lined trail, that they had just found Oz when we arrived. They made slow work of their quickly melting cones.

After we finished our treats I had a small moment of weakness where the words, "Should one of us just take a cab to the car and come back and pick the rest of us up?" escaped my lips. Alan, apparently feeling the rush of his extra large blizzard dismissed my pansy plea and we all hopped back on our bikes to finish the round trip. Luckily, it was so much easier on the way back.

We left for our trip with 6 of us and came home with 6. I'd say that was a successful trip.

No Carseats Attached

I wanted a vehicle that could give a fast ride and didn't have four carseats attached to it, the answer. . .

Mom's new wheels.

The kids are in absolute heaven. These pics were taken up on our property in the Shenandoahs. It is such a fun respite from suburbia-land up there. We have a bunch of large boulders on the land and the kids have all named them. We have "table rock" where we eat our picnic when we get there. One is named "rainbow rock" given its name because that is the rock the girls can paint on. While the boys go riding I sit up there relaxing with the baby as Sadie and Eva let out their inner Picasso on a large boulder with some paintbrushes and trays of paint. Currently the rock is very pink, I'll post pics next time around. I think that they could stay entertained by this for at least 5 hours. It is great!

If you look carefully in the picture, Lance is threatening us with the key in his hand and what he might do with it. Scary thing is that he really can start it, make it go, and switch gears - all from observing us. Smarty pants.


While we were getting it hooked onto the trailer to tow, Lance hopped on the seat and asked if he could ride back there as we drove down the interstate. "I know it will be very windy," he said, "but I will hold on tight." He apparently had thought through the potential hazards already.

Carefree and happy.

That is what a little piece of forest on a little road in the middle of nowhere will do to you.

Mother's Day

Sunday proved to be a unique day for me and unlike any day we have had for months. I thought I would list those simple pleasures of motherhood I got to enjoy:

1. no one threw up

2. no one wet their underwear

3. no one had to be taken out of church

4. no one told me how much they disliked dinner

5. no one was in the hospital

6. no one was sick (actually, no kid was sick, hubs was very sick so M's day had to be postponed until some future date) - which explains #4 because I think that I just made tacos or something easy.

7. no one broke or spilled anything (including on me)

We have had days in the recent past that it has been all of the above. Even if only #1 happened on Sunday it would have been a good day, but for all of the above it was a GREAT day. I love those little guys more than a blog can express and every day is M-day with them!

Hey Uncle Ry-Guy. . .

Check out your Chin Twin!

If I had a nickel for every time someone commented on his adorable chin, well, I would have at least $3.65 by now. And if it ever looks a little red and chapped it is because it is my favorite little kissing spot on my adorable little bear!

Wonkafest

I have just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the kids. They loved the story and Lance really related to the characters. He smiled sheepishly as I read realizing that he had a little bit of the obnoxious Augustus Gloop, Mike Teavee, and Veruca Salt in him. We celebrated completing the book by having a Wonka party! We went to the candy store and bought every kind of candy that Wonka made, including the famous Wonka Bar. The kids thought that they really might get a golden ticket in theirs.

We all settled in for a viewing of the classic version and devoured every wrapped treat. The kids couldn't believe their luck in getting a candy smorgasbord, but what else do you do at a Wonkafest?

Now as I type I'm listening to some restless, jabbering little ones upstairs, still awake way past their bedtime. Hmmmm, can someone say "SUGAR HIGH"?!