People rock when you let them!

Hey, it's me again with a little story (mostly because I have a lot of homework to do...um anyways). So do you see these adorable little girls...
My sweets! Ok, I took a lot of pictures and in each one, one decided to be silly or make a odd face.  Don't worry they took turns at it... sheesh. Well, this was the last concert of the season. Munch N Music is our local concerts in the park with lots of food vendors to keep people happy. This is about the only time they were sitting as well. Before long when the music picked up... it was a band called Super Diamond, they were up dancing and playing. Chasing each other and hug wrestling like little girls do. Well, at least mine. Half the people around us just smiled, everyone had had a bit to drink and was just getting into the show. Others looked extremely cranky.

I tried to keep them from bumping into people but hey they were having fun and not really bothering anybody. My middle child, chewing on a hot dog from Uberpretzel kept going up front to dance. It made my heart stop just a bit, I could see the edge of her shirt from time to time and she came back and checked in every few minutes. She's 8 and very responsible but still, you never do know.  I do think to have that freedom is very important as long as she stays where I can find her.

We didn't stay long though, as sad as that is.  I had to pick up my eldest from her friends' house.  The band was ok but not so much that I couldn't pull myself away. So down the road, we trod. That's where life gets fun.  We step up the hill so they can use the restroom before we leave and we find someones missing glasses.  I ask my 8-year-old to put them at the entrance gate in case someones looking for them. That's when the security person, a young, tall girl tells me how very well behaved my kids are.  I have to laugh, I've been chasing them around all night. I lightly agree and say it depends on who you compare them to. I know several kids who are so mellow they don't move or do much of anything without mom saying so. To which she replies "compared to every kid and parent here". I don't know what to say but thank you and off we go.

We haven't even made it out of the park yet and there is some dude wrenching a rope between two trees. I've seen this before here, he's going to try tight-rope walking. So we wait just a minute. Sure enough he walks between the two trees on the rope. My kids want to try but it's really high for them. I tell them no and try and coax them up the hill so we can leave. They can't walk up the hill they have to do handstands and flips all the way up. It takes us a while but we finally get out of the park and headed to the truck.

Thankfully that was fairly unadventurous, we did see a bicyclist lose his sweater. We stood there for a moment in case he looked back and then folded it and put it on the edge of the sidewalk so it wouldn't get run over. I am so thankful for my crazy kids. They really do make life so beautiful. In the last days of summer, how are you making memories? Do you write about them, take pictures, videos? How do you remember those times? Whatever you do, make it beautiful.

Love stubborn children.

I do love the stubbornness of some children. Not when their stubbornness is a form of rude or obnoxious behavior but when they are just set on being who they are.  This is my littlest angel, a night owl, and a passionate, personal individual.  She seems to be loved by everyone but is also rather indifferent to that. It cracks me up because my other two are very passionate about people in general.

Anyways, it's been a busy day but they just don't want to sleep.  It's been cooler than the last few weeks where we've reached three digits but still, they won't sleep. Kids start getting ready for bed at about 7 and during the summer are supposed to be quiet in their beds by 8, usually with a book.




Not this night. but they were all down around 9 except for this little peanut. It was almost 10 when she came out, she had been laying in my bed but daddy told her she needed to go to her own bed so she came out to the front room to tell on him.  I was finishing a book so I let her snuggle with me on the couch until I'm done. She eventually brings me this book. Not her normal pick. This is my non-fiction girl, her favorite books are about the nervous system and organs of the body. So as she asks for a story and I know this will help her sleep I give in. As we read about the giant walking down the street she asks me her phrase of the month "is this in our world" meaning is this real or fiction?  She looked so confused and asked me a few times to make sure. It really befuddled her. She didn't make any other comment and after two chapters was out...kinda. I stopped and picked up my book again (Learn German For Your Holiday) and after maybe 2 minutes she opens her eyes and asks for me to keep reading. I told her she was sleeping and she responded with 'oh' and went back to sleep.

I finished the chapter I was on, took my notes and took her off to bed. She's 6 years old but still curls up into my arms like a baby. She is my mirror, my baby, and one of my many blessings. I guess anytime is a good time for a story.  Have a blessed night.

Can you be friends with your kids?

Why do we have to have these parenting debates? Is there really a hard line between I'm not my kids' friend I'm their parent and I just want my kid to be happy! lol Both are ridiculous extremes.

Yes, I want my children to be happy but not stay in your pj's all day eating junk food happy.  I know so many of those and it's not what I aspire for my offspring.  I want them to have the joy of a successful life.  Being able to be a productive member of society, overcome difficult challenges, make a difference somewhere somehow.  Joy of a life well lived.  That will require at least on some basis that they will NOT be happy all the time because some of the struggles we go through in life are not pleasant.  I would love to but know better than to save them from all their own shortcomings.

That being said; I love hanging out with my kids once in a while.  My eldest and I run errands every other Friday (usually because she has forgotten a week's worth of coats and lunch bags at school) we might run to the library, talk about our favorite books, grab some grub for the weekend BBQ and probably stop in at Barns and Noble / Coffee shop for a cuppa joe.  She's an amazing person to talk to and has a huge heart for people.

My middle daughter is a bubble full of snuggles and usually covered in glitter or something pink and purply.  No one is more fun to take out clothes shopping.  Need to make something sweet, she'll point you in the right direction and come up with some amazing ideas along the way. 

My youngest has some speech issues but loves detailed projects.  She'll sit for hours working with a wrench or helping you with a puzzle. She's an awesome partner when I'm working on my studies and in general just good quiet company. 

So yes you can be your kids' friend, have fun and enjoy life but that's not all parenting is and nobody claims that.  People just see these one-liners and jump to extremes. Discipline your kid so they aren't obnoxious self-entitled brats, hang out with your kids and enjoy the people they are becoming.  Respect your kids for their ideas and passions that may be different from your own.  There is so much to this parenting thing and one-liners just don't cut it. Have a beautiful day peeps!

Russian Tea - Which one? Where from?

Years ago I started getting what some call winter allergies.  It's not an allergy as far as I know but I get a horrible cough for most of winter.  So when someone posted an all natural "Russian Tea" I had to try it out.  The interesting thing came when I tried to look up the recipe again.  You expect to find different variants but one thing is NOT like the other.  So today I'm going to be looking at the different recipes and try and figure what it's all about.  What actually came from Russia?


Lauren Greutman has you using tang sugar and instant tea (what the heck is instant tea?)
   
               I don't know, check it out for yourself it seems pretty simple.  Just not what I was looking for.  However, it is what I see most of the recipes look like, they have a powder mix that they just add water to when ready.  It's convenient for sure.

DIY - has you using a bunch of natural fruit juices and black tea.  This is the stuff.  We don't drink juice very often so the whole thing is a bit of a sweet treat.  I love it during the cold winter months when all you want is something warm and sweet. 

But where did it come from?

So from what I can gather, it's totally American.  First appeared in an American cookbook in the 20's and came from the south.  Considering it's like sweet tea with fruit juice that really doesn't surprise me much. From my studies though Russian's do love their tea, just not the same way we do.  This girl totally gets it and done her research too!

My Recipe

My recipe is a close variant of the DIY version so I highly recommend it for more detail.

• 8 cups water - set to boil in a large pot
• 1 cup water w 2 black tea bags set to boil

In first pot start adding after the boil has set.

• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups orange juice
• 3 cups pineapple juice
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice.

Then add your tea and simmer, the stronger you like that taste the longer you simmer.

Enjoy hot!

Some say they like it cold, I personally do NOT. It doesn't have the same taste cold but each to their own.



http://petersfoodadventures.com/2016/04/26/russian-tea/#comment-10228
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_tea_culture

Duolingo / German Notes #Preterite-1

Thought I'd put my duolingo notes online so that I could expand on them easier, share with others, and look back over them without the huge paper trail.  So here's the first one (I'm already 60% through the course, I might backtrack later).  Words to study or remember are underlined.  To practice yourself and look at all the cool notes Duo has (that aren't available on the android app yet ) check it out, tips and explanations are below that practice buttons.

1. Er war vorher u Hause. He was previously at home.  Vorher: Previously, before
2. Ich sah fit aus. I looked healthy.
3. Was tranken Sie? What are you drinking?
4. Wir aßen keinen Reis. We did not eat rice.    aßen  - did eat, ate
5. Ich trank Bier. I drank beer.
6. Er war da. He was there.
7. Sie schwammen gegen den Strom.  You swam against the stream.  
8. mit - with
9. verschiedene - different 
10. unterschiedliche - different
11. noch - still
12.  Wir kamen nach Afrika, als die Saison begann. We came to Africa when the season began. 

So our new words were:

Vorher - Previously or Before

Sah...aus - looked

Aßen - ate or did eat

War - was

Gegen - against

Most everything else was new tense of words we already learned.  So keeping it short and simple, don't worry it's will get more complicated soon!  

Review: Body

Auge um Auge! An eye for an eye

I'm looking for fun little matching games to add but can't find what I'm looking for as of yet. 

https://www.classmarker.com/online-test/start/?quiz=e7p5a1b9dce2df4c

So hopefully more fun stuff to follow. 

Is this new? Nope!

Is this a new thing? Why are you all of a sudden interested in the UK?

Um.... I'm not.  Isn't it awesome when people who care about you don't notice your interests at all. lol.  Anyhow when did I become fascinated with the Britsh.  Oh I would say at the age of 5 or so when my dad would blare Supertramp from the record player.  My favorite was Blood Well Right! You've got a problem with your schooling, write it out in detail and take it to the higher ups.  Don't sit around complaining.  That was the main jist of the song from what I gathered.

Then there was David Attenborough, who I've watched his documentaries over and over and over again.  He was there on the telly many a night when I couldn't get a cranky baby to sleep.  Oh and not to forget teaching history.  I find the Kings and Queens with their take overs and rules quite fascinating. It's much like a fairy tale that really happened (minus the happy ending).

So really there is nothing new about my love of the old country across the pond.  I've just dug in deeper lately as I'm seeking my own interests for once.  Surely I'm not the only one.

Why I want to be away with the fairies. Maybe?

I'm not sure I should post this.  Do all marriages go through this? My head feels like it's going to explode.  Things keep clicking and it scares me.  How the hell did I get here? What was I thinking? Did I really enjoy doing this for the past 12 years? Was I that lonely that pure servitude seemed like heaven?

I get off the phone with my mum yesterday and she has explained a list of things she has to do for her current husband.  She doesn't enjoy it but it's what needs to be done as she puts it.  Then she says it.  "We don't have anything in common either.  My purpose is to make his life suck a little less."  WHAT!!!! That's all your focus is on? So marriage is nothing more than a life of being an indentured servant?  Indentured servants are suppose to be temporary but she's made it permanent.  Well, she's on her third marriage so not completely permanent but you get the idea.

I don't want to live a life that way.  I've seen love in the movies, I've seen it in my friends and I have no idea what that is.  We watched a movie where he gave his life for his girl (it was a japanise film, don't remember what it was called).  I was so moved by it that I asked, "would you do that for me"? He looked at me like I was crazy.  The few times I have thought about leaving he doesn't get 'upset' as one about to lose their love.  He gets cranky and grumpy as all hell.  Like one about to lose a good servant.

I have dreams of dancing in the rain, or in a club (not an american bar).  Sitting the evening away in a coffee shop sipping on some tea and catching up on the latest science news/discovery.  I want to help people that need help.  I want to help stop world suck.  Like the program the Green brothers have been working on for years.  I don't know what I want to do exactly but I'm tired of playing little miss home on the prairie.  We have nothing in common, there is nothing we enjoy doing together.  We don't like the same food, the same tv programs, the same music, the same video games. outings, activities.  We live in compleat different worlds.

I'm not leaving him, our girl need a father and I have no way to make an income as of yet.  Besides that he's a good guy, it's just hard to be passionate with someone you have no common ground with.

I've been here before and I did get my passion back, other than God's will I have no idea how.  I know part of it is that he shows love differently.  By working hard and supporting his family he 'loves' us.  I'm just not sure where I'm at right now.  I'm tired of walking on egg shells in my own home.  I'm not a very good actress.  I have a ladies retreat this weekend, maybe that will serve up some answers.  Maybe, that's all that I need.  Les femmes sont seules. Bonsoir! A plus tard. Ca va bien.