Cake and Berries with Grandma Rossmeisl

Growing up, it simply wasn't summer if I didn't taste Grandma's strawberry shortcake. She'd rise early in the morning, cut and sugar the berries and set them to marinate on the sun porch. She didn't use biscuits, but pound cake, a cheap alternative that was encouraged during the Great Depression of her youth.

She'd tell me what she had brewing when I woke for breakfast and promise that, if I ate all my dinner and was a good girl, I'd get an extra dollop of homemade whipped cream with mine later that evening.

Under the shade of the Concord Grape arbor we'd eat our dinner in the waning sun of the late afternoon. After I gulped down my food I'd eagerly await the beat up tray of carefully made up desserts and notice mine in an instant, confirming my goodness by the extra-large mound of fluffy white cream, carefully drizzled with sweet, red juice.

Nothing has or could taste as good as that first bite of Grammie's summer Strawberries & Pound cake.

53 Plants and Ouch, My Back!

Well, I planted and planted and planted and planted and, did I mention PLANTED, 53 plants for 4 hours this afternoon. I am so excited! I tried to plant everything so that my beds are going to have that beautiful layered filled in look of an established garden instead of that bare, "three holly bushes out front only, sub-division" look. I will try to take some photos tomorrow when it's light out, but I don't think the real difference will be seen until mid-spring/early summer. How lucky to have gotten all these plants for free too! I made sure to share some with three of my neighbors and can't wait to see the whole street full of beautiful black-eyed-susans next summer!

The Bravest Man I Know

Paul is now officially the bravest, most adventurous man I know! He has surpassed Indiana Jones, James Bond and Chuck Norris in one fell swoop.



Did he defeat an armed robber with nothing but a toothbrush you ask? No, even scarier.



Did he wrestle a crocodile, shark and lion to the ground with one arm? Something even braver!



Last night he packed up 4 kids, ages 10-1 in the van to take them all to an outdoor movie in Uptown Charlotte and was the only adult. WOW! How brave! Richard - age 5, Renee - age 10, Ashton - age 3 and Kate - age almost 2. This was especially impressive because it was a spur of the moment decision and he executed it in 20 minutes. The sad part is we got the dates mixed up and the movie's tonight! So they played on the playground downtown and then came home.


Paul, you are my hero!

Olympic Fever at Our House

This is the first year we've all really been into watching the Olympics, actually...it's the 1st Olympics Ashton & Kate have been alive to see! This is how we are involving it in their lives:

Lego Beijing Olympic Renderings: Check this link out...holy cow these are LEGOS - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1046255/On-marks-set-Lego-Welcome-Olympics-everyones-quick-blocks.html

• Getting ready to witness history = 8 gold medals by 1 Olympian: We've spent all summer at the pool learning to swim so Ashton could begin his quest for the 2020 games and 9 gold medals!
• Making sure the coverage is ALWAYS on tv. Kate stayed up late and watched the opening ceremony on 08.08.08 and absolutely LOVED it! It was so colorful and fluid and simply the most amazing thing I've ever seen. (Outside of Micheal Phelps in a swim suit!) Can you beleive these are PEOPLE 2-3 high making a model of the stadium they are standing in?
  
• After watching the ENTIRE 2 hour 20 minute coverage of the Woman's marathon, which was sooooooooooooooooooooo much more exciting then I thought it would be, Paul and I have started going aggressively back to the gym and try to pretend we are marathon runners when we are on the treadmill. (And FYI, a 38 year old woman from Romania won which means...I still have time if I really want it!)
  

My Little Mermaid!

Just a 1 short week ago Kate taught herself to float with water wings all by herself. She found some along the side of the pool someone had left laying around and brought them to me demanding I put them on her. So, curious as to what would happen, I did. She stuck her proud little chin up in the air and very carefully balanced herself swinging her legs up and back to grab her toes. She is now a professional and can "walk" through the water to get from one place to the other. I am so proud of her!

Not to be outdone with new tricks, Ashton now makes flying leaps into the pool, where 1 month ago he would only enter the pool by going down the steps or the ladder.

The favoirte destination to drive their cars to is the pool. Ashton insists on eating lunch and dinner at the pool. And you'd better not promise Kate you will take her swimming then not go...she will guilt you to DEATH.

So...if we are not around when you call or come by, check the pool!

I Touched a Zebra Today...

Today, in honor of America's birthday, we left the country! Well...not REALLY! But it did feel as if we stepped off a puddle jumper onto a safari through the Serengeti. We then had to "return" as the monsoon season began.

You see, up in Mooresville, NC there is a privately owned ranch that is home to an amazing variety of exotic animals. As you slowly drive your own car through 3.5 miles of trail, you pass Ostriches as tall as your car, deer that come right up to your window looking for kibbles and come eye to eye with Emus that stare you into submission! The whole experience was amazing, just under an hour from our home.

Kate thoroughly enjoyed the giant "ducks" as she called them, sending out a wild laugh each time they would come to the window. Ashton was fascinated by the dark black and white pigs that seemed to roam everywhere, asking again and again if they were coming to his room (see earlier post ~Pigs & Poultry). Paul enjoyed the camels and rhinoceros the most and I, well, I was simply amazed by the sheer size of the Zebras. For some reason I thought they were more pony-sized than Clydesdale-sized!

I was suprised that Paul allowed me to unbuckle the children from their car seats, but almost fell on the floor when he agreed to let them take turns sitting on his lap and "driving". At one point Ashton even had full control of the steering wheel when Paul lifted his hands up to give him a chance. I really enjoyed witnessing these father/son and father/daughter moments.

As it was hot and VERY sticky outside, we ended up not staying as long as we would have liked at the petting area/pirate ship playground/porch swings. The rumble of distant thunder quickly approaching drove us into our car and back towards Charlotte. Just as we got on 85S, the heavens opened up and down came the rain. Normally I'm not scared of some water on my windshield, but the more cars we passed that had pulled over due to the downpour, the more nervous I became. We soon passed a car in a ditch facing the wrong way then witnessed another car fly off the road going about 80 MPH and into the middle median. The children also didn't like the loud roaring of the rain on our van and soon became scared.

To comfort Kate after seeing a very frightened look not leaving her face, I reached back to hold hold her hand, even though I was expecting her to jerk it away as she always does. But this time, she held my hand the whole way home, even asking to hold Daddy's hand as well. I will admit that, however selfish it may seem, I am glad she was scared and really enjoyed comforting her and the feeling of her still tiny hand curled around my first two fingers.

I really had a wonderful time and can't wait to take the kids and hope to take Angelique again soon.

Check out all the photos from my cell phone (camera battery had died) here - http://www.the704reids.shutterfly.com/

Little Miss & Mr. Liberty

Today our neighborhood hosted an early 4th of July celebration, complete with parade and festival! Getting up early, Kate and I took careful pride in decorating the ol' Radio Flyer with anything and everything RED, WHITE, and BLUE we owned. Feeling very satisfied with our results, we then dressed in our most Patriotic of outfits and drove down to the pool area where we thought the parade was to begin. After practicing our march around the pool area, where Kate pulled Ashton in our float for everyone to see, we were informed the parade actually ENDED at the pool and we'd better hurry down to the other side of the neighborhood where it was starting! So, after hastily scooping up a toddler in each arm, we drove to where the parade was in progress, pulled over to the side of the road, unloaded each little one and ended up bringing up the rear of the parade. Ashton was so excited to be in the "Horrary-de" as he called it, and marched with knees high right in front of the police car that had lights flashing. While the 90*+ weather began to wear first Ashton down, then Kate, they both ended up riding in the wagon with the previous only passenger - Baby Doll. I sweated it out pulling everyone up the gia-normous hill and coasted to the pool house. We each chose a hot dog from the vendor and Ashton helped himself to a red iced cupcake and made sure to bring Kate a blue one. With both children a mess from the icing, we hurried over to the bathrooms to wash up. Just as we were coming out of the bathrooms we were just in time to hear "Ashton & Kate Reid, winners of the parade float contest!" I was so proud of them as everyone told us how great we looked and how cute the float was. And to think, I almost didn't go since Paul was working and I rarely take the two into public alone! I am so excited that Ashton's therapy is helping with this and, while the dj was playing the music loud and it made Ashton a bit overexcited, all-in-all it was a great time!

We Picked In Fields of Gold

Today was such a lovely day outside, High of 78*F without a cloud in the sky, that we just simply had to go pick our own strawberries! We headed over to Hill Family Farm, which was located in right outside the bustling area of Ballantyne (check them out at: http://www.hallfamilyfarm.com/about_strawberries.htm). We rode over in the Honda van, each child holding on to their own basket. (By the way Brian, Ashton still remembered that the yellow easter basket I pulled out to use once belonged to you!) Kate actually thought hers would make a more suitable hat/helmet and wore it proudly on her head.
While we picked 4 lbs, we took home 2 lbs (between Ashton throwing the "mushy ones" and Kate eating every 2nd berry).
It was a beautiful day and a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed slowing down and taking in the sights, scents and sounds of a little country farm, right in the middle of a bustling city! Who would have thought you could have it all!