La Vue de Chez Nous: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

More arrivals...

As if getting chickens wasn't enough anticipation for one household, late last night Geoff's sister Ingrid, her husband Trent, and their five kids arrived. Ingrid, Trent and their two youngest are off to Tuscany tomorrow for nine days (poor things), and we are watching the older three while they're gone.

Tennie happily holds baby Lucy, and sits by her nearest cousin, TK

Adele and Ceci introducing cousin Taeya to the new chickens

TK and Tennie catching pond creatures

Lots of make-up was self-applied on these two throughout the day

Tye-dying shirts

My oh my it was a busy day! Stay tuned...tomorrow Camp Whippoorwill begins!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Let's give a big welcome...

The girls and I frequent the local farm and feed store, Echo Valley Ranch. We buy our eggs there, we bought the bunnies there, we buy our rabbit and guinea pig food there, and today....

the girls and Geoff's mom picked up five CHICKENS! That's right, Geoff's parents are the owners of chickens. Each grandchild will get to name and care for one when they are here. That means a pretty full-time job for the Davis sisters, and they couldn't be more excited.

Four more come at the end of the month, in time for Blackberry Days (our family reunion). Once the chickens are claimed and named I'll post the girls and their hens...their names are always too good to not share.

We can't wait for those eggs to start coming!

A Summer Shanty

Tennie and Ceci built themselves a little summer shanty with the extra wood behind the barn. It was better built than the last one that was recently dissembled. Unfortunately it needed to be moved the same day it was built, so those boards are piled somewhere waiting for another day of construction...

Friday, June 24, 2011

TNT Camp

The girls went to a theater camp this week put on by the group that does the Shakespeare plays we often attend. Tennie's friend Addie's mom directs Take Note Troupe and has really created something spectacular. Not only do the kids learn the works of Shakespeare, but it is all in the process of learning great life skills. They loved it, of course.

Here is Adele explaining character background and entrances

Here Adele and Ceci are performing an improv scene

Can you spy Tennie in this improv scene?

Here is Tennie describing "Yes, and..." which is when you take someone's idea/enthusiasm and build upon it. They played games to teach these principles.

Here is the whole group

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tennie's Pancakes

I got this recipe from my friend Ashley, who got it from the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. We call them "Tennie's Pancakes" because they are Tennie's #1 favorite breakfast. Give them a try...they might end up on your favorite breakfast list too.

TENNIE'S PANCAKES

2 cups sour cream

1 scant cup flour (a wheat-free blend works perfectly)

2 tablespoon sugar (optional)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all together, and cook 'em up! (NOTE: The batter will seem sort of flimsy and you'll wonder how they'll flip, but they do perfectly!)

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

When Geoff was young he and his siblings did Father's Day and Mother's Day skits (roasts, really). The girls picked up the tradition and put on a skit today in the form of a game show. Which dad am I? (Geoff? or Poppop?)

Geoff wanting admiration for his artwork

Poppop saying the pool is ready for swimming

Tennie demonstrating Geoff's "business laugh"

Tennie is Poppop laughing at Adele

Poppop eating marshmallows like popcorn

Geoff calling the Metropolitan Museum of Art saying he has a painting for them

(another tease)

A display of art: Geoff's paintings, Poppops Popsicle stick mounds, and money (?)

Geoff telling me about an impression/thought he had during the night

Ceci as the sun; Geoff enjoying it

Geoff

Poppop doing the splits

Poppop watching TV with multiple Popsicles

Ceci asking Geoff if he'll watch her swim. "In a minute." After 30 minutes pass Geoff shuts the computer and says, "Ok, let's go!" Demonstrating his long "minutes".

CGeoff hearing that someone in the car is thirsty and saying, "Oh, I'm so sorry you forgot bring a water bottle! Bummer!" She then took a long drink. (This he does in jest to show the natural consequence. He then gives them his bottle.)

The girls have named the main bridge in Auburn, "Skinny Little Emma" (It began with a conversation about one of Tennie's old schoolmates while on the bridge. Her name was Emma and she was skinny and little.) For two years every time we go over the bridge everyone in the car says, "Skinny Little Emma!" Geoff always uses what we are talking about, for example: getting a guinea pig. Just as we are crossing the bridge will say something like, "I bet Skinny Little Emma wishes she had a guinea pig." One time he started a long story about a new girl at church five minutes before getting on the bridge. As we drove over the bridge he said, "And her name was Skinny Little Emma!" It was then the girls knew the long story was just to say Skinny Little Emma on the bridge! This is Ceci using Skinny Little Emma as Geoff would.