THE SOUNDS OF SUMMER

Kansas had a BRUTAL winter.  As of last week it still really felt like winter.  Yesterday was the first day of hot and sunny humid typical Kansas weather.  Sure we have had little tastes of it over the past month but nothing consistent.

Yesterday afternoon I thought I would sit on my back porch and try to soak up some rays and try to change the color of my pasty, white skin.  I headed out with a magazine.  Everytime I tried to read the magazine my attention was elsewhere.  I finally decided to quit trying to read and I closed my eyes.  In true Kansas fashion the wind was something to be reckoned with.  It was a warm wind though.  Something I haven't felt in months.  I just took in some deep breaths and I could smell my neighbors smoker cooking up something delicious.  I could hear the childrens screams and laughter at the neighborhood pool that is two doors down.  As I looked that direction I saw a little boy do a cannon ball into the water.  In the other direction I heard the sounds of a lawnmower and a weed wacker working hard to cut the lawn.  Directly in back of me I saw my neighbor cleaning her windows from the outside.  Trying to clear away the remnants of our nasty winter.  I then noticed a girl riding her bike with nothing but her swimsuit, goggles and towel headed to the pool.  Several families walked by my house taking a leisurly Sunday stroll and enjoying the weather.  The hibiscus plants I planted last week have several new buds growing and big blooms growing.

Summer is finally here.  When the days are long and lazy (kind of).  When there isn't bedtimes or homework deadlines.  When I can sit outside and drink my morning coffee or evening wine.  When my kids can run around shirtless and shoeless and it's ok.  When baseball season seems to last FOREVER!  Summer means trips to the library and doing fun things with my kids, the constant smell of chlorine and sunscreen, tan skin, blue skies, emerald grass, mosquito bites, the scent of citronella, abundant fresh fruit, farmers market's, backyard bbq's, sangria and margaritas, sundresses and flipflops.

School is out tomorrow for my kids and I am surprisingly looking forward to having them home!  What does summer mean to you?

 
Jules

LIFE QUESTIONS

"The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous." Anna Quindlen.

Lately I have been surrounded by very successful working mothers.  Mothers who make working outside of the home seem easy and fulfilling.  Working mothers who seem very happy and satisfied with life.  Being around these women makes me take my mind to where I probably shouldn't take it.  Being around them begs me to take a picture of my life and analyze.  Am I happy?  Am I fulfilled?  To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I can answer 100% yes.  Cleaning a house, cooking dinners, driving your kids around, changing diapers, doing laundry, only speaking to children most days, ALWAYS being there can slowly drive a woman insane!

I NEVER viewed staying home with my children as a sacrifice until recently.  I am being forced to wonder where my career would be if I hadn't taken off 9 years (so far) to raise children.  How much money would I be making?  Where would I be working?  Would I have gone back to school?  I was very interested in becoming a nurse anesthetist and I probably would have been one if I hadn't stayed home with my sweeties.  Don't get me wrong.....I am not complaining.  I chose to do this job without hesitation.  I'm just sort of thinking out loud right now.

I am a VERY motherly person.  One who likes to nurture and take care of people, especially my children.  I know if I had chosen the other route (working outside of the home) I would be asking myself the questions of are my kids happy?  Are they adjusted?  Do they wish I was home? And so on and so forth.  I do think that whether you choose to work at home (be full time mommy) or work outside of the home you may question yourself either way?  Both are hard.  I'm not really sure why all of a sudden I am just now wondering about all of this.  I feel like I should have wondered about it before now!!! 

I'll be honest in saying that sometimes I envy the working mother.  I envy that they get to maintain an independence and identity other than being a mother.  They have the luxury of having adult interactions and their work (to me) could be viewed as a "break" from family life.  Maybe working mothers envy me as well?  I always get to be home with my kids. 

It's all good though.  For me, right now, this is the best thing.  It is very reassuring to me to know that I am ALWAYS here even if it is exhausting.  Nobody has to take a sick day or a vacation day when one of the kids is sick or there is a snow day (which actually happens alot).  I can always drive to and make most events, sporting or otherwise.  I get to take the credit or blame for my kids actions.  I do have three really good reasons that I sacrificed my career and working life.  They are pictured below:

Haha!  Nick's face cracks me up in this picture.  If given a "redo" I would probably choose this same path!  Although I don't get paid in money, I do get paid in alot of other ways!

Jules

Bandana pants

Wow!  I have been absent for a long time!  To be honest, I think I just felt like I didn't have anything interesting to write about or share these past weeks.  I FINALLY started sewing again.  I made a bunch of these outfits to be sold at Addie Rose Boutique and Maddie's Closet in Leawood.

I realize that the pants appear stupid wide in this picture.  I assure you that any diaper booty'd little girl looks adorable in this outfit.  The shirt is just a simple tank with a grosgrain ribbon sewn into place.  This is such a simple project.  I even bought some blue bandanas to make my son some PJ pants with.  Pictures to follow!  Now let's just hope they sell!

Jules

EMBRACE THE CAMERA THURSDAY

I haven't joined http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/ for an embrace the camera in a looooong time.  I caught Nick in the office with a marker and a pen destroying my desk calender.  There are pen marks all over his cheeks.  I think I caught him just in time before he started coloring the walls.  Go check out the other embracers!

Jules

SHUTTER LOVE TUESDAY...EVEN THOUGH IT'S THURSDAY

I am entering this photo at http://www.trendytreehouse.blogspot.com/.  The theme this week is eyelashes.  I love this picture of little Nick.  The girls are going to be jealous of those lashes someday!  Go check out the other eyelashes!  Don't forget to go vote for me in the comments section of the trendytreehouse blog.  Thanks!



Jules


                                         

NEW RECIPE #7-THAI PEANUT NOODLES

O to the M to the G.  I know I sound like a pre teen but this recipe was awesome.  EASY and AWESOME.  You can't get any better than that.  My kids and husband slurped it up without even talking. Next time I need a little attention I think I'm going to put some of that peanut sauce behind my ears or something.  Okay, okay I'm exaggerating just a little.  But really it was great.

I am a huge Thai fan.  This totally fit the bill.  I got the recipe from http://www.ourbestbites.com/.  I tweaked it quite a bit though.  I added about 3/4 of a can of coconut milk and I added red pepper and mushrooms and shrimp.  You could easily add chicken too.  Here's the recipe:

THAI PEANUT NOODLES:
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter (I used crunchy)
1-2 tsp Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)-I used 2 since I doubled the recipe
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. Udon or linguine noodles
chopped green onions
chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into quaters
chopped peanuts

DIRECTIONS:
Cook noodles in salted water.  In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, ginger, honey and garlic in small saucepan over med-olw heat.  Whisk until smooth.  Then I added the coconut milk.  Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls.  Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, peanuts, and garnish each with 2 lime quarters.  Before eating, squeeze lime juice over.

I did a little stir fry of shrimp and vegetables in some olive oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce and added to the noodles.

This recipe is a keeper!  I may make it next week again!

Jules

SWEET SHOT TUESDAY

I know I already posted this picture on Sunday but it is definitely my favorite shot of the week.  I am joining http://www.my3boybarians.com/ with this picture as well as m3b project52.  It's a picture of my little guy looking out the window at the snow.  He HATES to wear pants so he is usually just all diaper at home! Go check out the other sweet shots!

Have a great Tuesday!

Jules