I remember these as a child too!
p.s. what teenager book are you reading
that helps?! my 10 year old is already
acting like a typical pre-teen! it’s
funny, my 10 year old looks about like a 7
year old! your 10 year old looks more like
what a 10 year old should to me! my daughter
is just super short & tinY! her 8 year old sister
is the same height as her! tara

I’m reading “Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive me & Cheryl to the Mall:  A Parent’s Guide to the New Teenager, by Anthony E. Wolf.

The book’s first chapter for me was so eye opening and so helpful for my emotional sanity.   I now have a much better perspective on things I’m starting to see at our house.  From feeling like a bad mother to wondering just what happened to why so much seems so different.   Not everything in the book is a match but it’s been so helpful for me in interpreting much of what we’re headed for with a blooming teenager.   I am now much more able to translate and understand it all.   I have a couple more books on similar topics too, that I know I’ll probably need to read before long as well….

Hi Danelle,
Thanks for posting this. I’ve bought store-bought popcorn balls but my kids didn’t like them. I wonder if they’d like homemade ones a little better (plus I could make them a little smaller to make it easier for them to eat too). What is your facebook page? I tried searching for Danelle Johnson and got 55 results! And none of them looked like you…

Danelle, why don’t you plan a “stay-cation” for one of those 10 days!

Take some time NOW to plan it, and make it special. That way, you can get your work done, but still honor the time you are off!

Paint pottery together, or paint a canvas, or make something really neat, or camp outside (weather permitting) or….even better, drag the mattresses into the living room and camp in there!!! I think you could make it really cool!

I thought we were turning the corner on winter.   We just melted off the snow that has been here for over 2 months.   Seriously this is killing me!  I am just dreaming of spring in the worst way.

The girls aren’t near as impatient as I am.   This is their answer to a little more snow.

(Delaney and a friend just about died when they asked Dad if they could take the go-cart out and he said yes.)

We have a lot of space to ride….and it’s only a bad thing, when the go-cart stalls on you….

and you have to walk back

in the snow.

they look a little tired huh?  They just dropped and then decided to make snow angels…..;)    which then turned in to a snow ball fight and I RAN!!!

and as for my way of handling yet more snow and more winter….

shopping for spring clothes……here, here, and here.     (Shhhhh, don’t tell Marty, he hates it when I shop.)

Tomorrow, I will answer some of the questions from comments, update about class kits and more.  So if you have any questions, put them in a comment for tomorrow.

the other day I was looking for a photo for something and found this one.

and so I spent several minutes laughing and having a few other Mom emotions.  This was April of 2004, 6 years ago.    McK is sitting in my grandma’s rocker, which she sat in most of her life in her living room.  She passed away that year and we brought her rocker home with us and put it in McKinley’s nursery.

What you don’t see in this photo that I so fondly remember about this moment, is that Delaney is trying to SIT in the rocker and McKinley thinks otherwise.   Even at age 1, McK was such a tough little stink and knew just how to make her way known with her big sister.

and I would given anything to have the chance too take just a few more pictures of my babies in diapers.

If…

you have children in diapers.   Run as fast as you can to your camera and take as many diaper photos as you can…..because tomorrow they will be hanging out at their locker with their friends……

McKinley is addicted to popcorn balls and has been begging me to make these often.  Before I went to Cali in Jan I was up at midnight making these to leave as a surprise, along with a note that said, 1 per day.  I had to laugh when I talked to her on the phone while I was gone, she didn’t tell me she missed me or want to talk about anything, except to say “why only 1 Mommy?”   Listening to that sweet little voice, I caved and said ok, you can have more.  Then Delaney got on the phone and said she’d already been having 2.  She went on to admit that she was just going to say Dad ate the extras if caught.  She was so quick to rat on herself and her planned explanation, and I couldn’t help but just laugh.

So last week for Valentine’s Day I promised Mckinley I would make them for school.  When Delaney heard, she wanted them to, which surprised me since she told me earlier this year that you have to have “permission” to bring snacks to school.  Apparently she forgot that she had fed me that line at some time (you never know what line you might be fed so you have to be on your toes with this budding teenager.)   That’s ok, it’s hard to be 10 and I’m reading a great book that is totally giving me a new understanding for diciphering teenager lingo with a smile.

and I was MORE than happy to make them for both the girls classes.  So 55 popcorn balls later, I was done…phew!   BTW, I probably will not make that many at once, or at least until I forget how long that took.    They were yummy though and I had some requests for the recipe, which I posted on facebook, which made me think, I should put here also.

My mom made these when I was a kid and they it’s still one of my favorite memories. Often she would hide a gumdrop inside as a treat. So sometimes I will put in a gummy bear or gummy lifesavor if we’re making them for a party.

POPCORN BALL RECIPE: I created this recipe from several I have tried and this is my favorite so far. Makes 24 balls My original recipe was 1/2 this, but 12 popcorn balls in never enough.

Need 10 quarts popped white popcorn.

In saucepan on stove, combine the following:

2 cups light corn syrup

2 sticks salted butter

pinch of salt

1 1/3 bag small marshmallows

Melt and mix until smooth.

Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

You can add food coloring at this point, if you want colored balls.

In oversized bowl, pour 1/2 of melted sauce over 5 quarts white popcorn. Mix with heavy duty mixing spoon until all mixture covers popcorn. You can spray spoon with Pam to make mixing easier. Mold by hand in to balls using butter on hands to keep from sticking. Squeeze each tight to keep from falling apart. Place on wax paper. Finish by wrapping balls in plastic wrap.

Repeat for remaining sauce and 5 quarts popcorn. Next time I make these I’m going to try to buy pre-popped white popcorn from Sam’s or Wal-mart that doesn’t have as many hulls. But I have been popping my own using white unpopped popcorn.    So gooey and yummy!

you happen to capture a photo that is something special and for me this one is worth a year’s worth of snapping pictures.

Having a budding teenager means much fewer photographic opportunities (it’s that personal space issue that I try to respect.)  But this photo sums up so much of Delaney’s world right now and I’m so thankful to have captured  this on film.   I feel like I’ve won the lottery.

There is so much to this picture that will remind me of this day and the minutes I felt like I stole with a little time in each of the girls classrooms.   The girls are carrying flowers given by secret admirers in school and I just love seeing them all so so happy, enjoying such good friendship.

I needed a little pick me up the other day and so for a little break I went digging in some older photo folders (I have them in 2 different spots on our server.)  Whatever lack of inspiration I was feeling I found in just a little bit of  photo therapy.

It’s like opening a box of treasures in the attic  just uncovered, wondering what goodies are inside.  I’m a little odd that way,  but it doesn’t cost anything and it’s a personal reward that doesn’t involve empty calories, which for me is a great thing, even though I sure like empty calories too.

I  was so reminded how looking at photos is one of the best therapies { in  this  world .}  and I know I have said that before, but each time it seems like such a discovery.

It doesn’t add pounds, doesn’t involve drugs, doesn’t separate marriages, doesn’t break the law AND even better, it doesn’t break the bank (unless that involves printing every photo you love, which I would love to do.)  The one condition that it requires, is that you actually TAKE PICTURES, which thank goodness I have that disease.

After taking pictures and scrapbooking with kids for over 10 years, I have come to realize that January and February are always months of fewer photos, which is totally ok.  It’s winter, we’re inside more which makes the normal photo a bit more challenging and I’m usually tired of my camera after the holidays.  But one thing I notice of the pictures I do have, they are some of my favorite everyday shots of the year.

I remember this day as if it was yesterday, 5 years ago. Call me sappy Mom, but I pulled this exact sweater out of McKinley’s closet today for her to wear to school and you can bet that I will be trying to get her photo later today so I can just enjoy for me, for 1o years down the road when these little precious faces are not so little.

Grandma gave her this doll because she thought it looked like Delaney.  We are not really in to dolls anymore, but we still have this doll.  But we are still in to pink and ribbons, both of which someone wore to school today.  I’m glad some things remain.

and I think we will always be in to cookies and sprinkles and Valentine’s Day parties.

God forgive me for sneaking in this photo before snack at McKinley’s pre-school party.  I’ve only taken a photo 2 times during a prayer and this is one and it was so worth it.

Love the look on her face here.  Not sure who this friend was, but I’m thinking she’s guarding her candy, which makes me laugh.  I miss that look, she was always a little spunky.

I love that this photo is Delaney and one of her friends in the SAME classroom that McKinley is in today.  Same teacher in the same First Grade.   I think I will probably have to visit the first grade party later today maybe, now that I think about it.

They look so little and so sweet.   I might also just have to pop in at the 5th grade party too, although (gasp) I’m sure that’s not cool, but I might just do it anyway.  Note:  I was excited  last night that our big 10 year old wanted my homemade popcorn balls for her whole class today.  It must still be cool to bring treats to school on a whim.  While it took a bit to make 55 homemade pink popcorn balls last night, it was worth it.  I’m sure the day is coming soon that I won’t get to be a part of these special days at school any longer.

Ok, so she’s still a DORK!  somethings never change….lol.

BTW, I didn’t take any time to fix the colors or alter these photos in any way.  I didn’t even resize or nothing special and it was a little hard to do, but I’m just grabbing and sharing them just as they are…for the content and the memories, nothing more.  Ok, honestly, that was HARD to do.

So… I’m going to try,  try being the operative word here, on Fridays to flashback in my photo archives… and reflect… and cry a little… and reflect some more… and grow… from just a few moments of looking back.  Because I have discovered that doing so, gives me a fresher perspective for moving forwarding and living  today.  It helps give me clarity and often a better sense of what matters and that is a boost that I need and want.

Maybe you can join me?  and we can reflect and document and grow together.  If you do, please share a link here or send me a note.

green grass

green flowers

green plants

green crops

and warmth!

I find myself looking at the spring clothes and my pictures of warmer days, longing for spring to arrive just to be able to go outside and enjoy it.

C a n    n o t   W A I T! !!

Looking back at the pictures I have of this day, this Kitty either is really in love with all this attention or her eyes are stuck shut.  Every photo she’s got her eyes closed.  I finally found one with them open, but I was really wondering.

This is McKinley’s special “Emma” kitty that I wrote about here.  She’s gone now and someone sure misses her.  Most of the kitties don’t stick around the farm too long, but just the other day I got lots of questions about when the new baby kitties would be born and lots of mentions of how much she loved Emma, named for the M on her forehead.  She was in so many of the photos with McKinley last year that it’s hard for her to look back at them and not miss her.

I sure hope we have some very special new kitties born this spring for McK to love.

I laugh at these photos of Mck and one of her friends.  They spend every waking minute outside and so I’m pretty sure they are so ready for spring too.

and this one also  cracks me up for some reason.  Just something about the way they are standing so matter of fact,  and dragging Emma with them wherever they go.  Minutes later I think she was getting a bath in the baby swimming pool…

means that sometimes Dad brings in a surprise new visitor early in the morning

when you’re still in your jammies

and you ask to take him to school on your show and tell day designated “bring something white.”

and you hear all about the ladies (as they are called by Dad) and their kids, who is new and who is still hanging in there.

You take your friends to see them, tell stories about them and watch them play, even when the temps are in the teens.

and you take pics of them because they are all so loved and named, (except Mom isn’t up to date on all their names).   Many of them have more than one name, since both of the girls have their own unique naming style.

However, I’m pretty sure that the special baby that went to school is named Spot.

You get to see twins and triplets and brand new babies, which bring up lots of questions about the birds and the bees, which is followed by some really interesting answers from Dad, who isn’t really expecting the questions he just got.

and you fall in love with all of your friends….

and then one day many of them will leave and we’ll have some very sad girls…and lots more questions.

until we have a new group of special friends come to live on the farm,

and we start all over again.

We’ve been talking a bit about vacations lately (maybe because I’ve been working on our vacation books and beach photos, dreaming of warmer weather.)  Well, we always do lots of little trips because both grandparents live out of state and both of my sisters as well.  So just seeing family is a trip and takes time.  But, for some odd reason today, it hit me.  If we only go on a big vacation every other year, which sometimes seems to happen with schedules and $$$$, then we have only 4 vacations left before Delaney leaves the house.

How did that happen??  That just isn’t OK.  I don’t know why this came to mind today, but sometimes perspective just hits you when you need it.

The girls have 10 days off in March …(crazy that they have so much) but even though I have plenty of work to do and Marty too, I vow to take some of that time to do something.     I’ve always been such a work-a-holic, had parents that way and married one too.   But I feel like my girls are growing faster than I can keep up.   So I’m giving myself a kick in the butt to make use of these days…..they will be gone too fast and work will always be here.

Just tonight someone was leaving to spend the night at a girls sleepover.  She showered, snuck in a little of my make-up since her complexion is changing as fast as her height, and was so engrossed in feeling good about the way she looked and felt.  I stood there and couldn’t help but get a pit in my stomach.  I felt as if I was watching a movie fast forward,  trying to press the stop button and it just wouldn’t stop.

I love my big girl….and to me she will always be my baby, even though she sure isn’t a baby anymore.