My Grandpa is 93 Today

...and still ticking!  I love you Grandpa!

{I hope I inherit the longevity and "still not crazy" gene!}

Kid's Art Blog Updates

Just added a ton of stuff to Ben's and Hannah's art blogs.  Check them out if you get a second...they would be SO excited to see any comments!  Thanks :)

Gonna start one for Neeners soon...her drawings are hilarious!

We Have A Winner

One of those days where there's an inch of milk left and not much else in the fridge, house looks like a bomb detonated nearby, and there's still homework and....dinner?!!  Oh shoot.  Grabbed an old kid's magazine which I had been looking at (trying to get ideas for Ben's school golf course project...a story in itself, later), and found this winner of a recipe.  Had almost everything on hand, so a quick trip to the store on the way home from karate and everyone's tummy was happy.  Even Daddy's.   

photo from marthastewart.com

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

{eyes, ears, mouth and nose!}

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up, Nina?

"A mermaid."  No hesitation whatsoever.  "And we can have a really huge pond in our back yard and you can just drop your Nina Mermaid in it on this side, and the pirates can go over on that side."  She's making all these hand motions...

Ten seconds later..."Or I want to be Tinkerbell."

Then, "But I don't want to grow up!  And I can't stop!"  She tried pushing the top of her head down, like she could stop herself from getting any bigger.  "And I don't want you to be a grandma!"  Now she's crying!  I don't blame her...picturing myself as a grandma is pretty disturbing for me too!

p.s. These were my mermaid bath toys from about 1982, and now my girls love them too...can't believe I still have them!

Tastes Like Summer

I love it.  So easy too...just lay on the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese, a little salt and pepper, and drizzle some olive oil on top of the bread before grilling.  The kids love the orange bowl fruit salads too, especially with a tiny sprinkle of sugar on top.  

Yoga With Olivia

Okay everyone!  Ready to start burning off that chub?  Here we go!  (Oh yeah, notice my "Olivia" quilt that my Grandma Ruthie made...it's perfect for me!)

Here we go!  First let's bring it into Downward Dog...

Make sure you get a good calf stretch here...nice.  Feel free to get water if you need it.

Align your body into the plank position, it really strengthens those abs.  Good for the core. 

Now roll around on the floor with your sister.  Good work, everyone!  See you next time!

Chocolate Freak Out!

Oh, I can't tell you how much I love laughing at these pictures!  Nina's little friend Wyatt was playing at our house, and I let them lick the spatulas and bowl after I mixed up this cookie dough.  Here's the recipe if you want to have a little chocolate freak out of your own!

Totally Chocolate Cookies (Nigella Lawson's recipe, I just doubled it here.  Makes about 4 dozen.)

8 oz. semisweet chocolate

2 c. flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa, sifted

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. soft butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

4 c. semisweet chocolate chips (mint chips are so good too, you have to try it sometime!)

 

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Melt the 8 oz. chocolate
2. Measure the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl
3. Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl.  Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
4. Beat in the vanilla and egg, then mix in the dry ingredients.  Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Scoop out tablespoon-sized mounds and place on lined baking sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Do not flatten them.
6. Bake for 12 min, or until cracked on top and mostly set. 
7. Leave to cool on baking sheet 4-5 min, then transfer to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

Gardening With The Scouts

Nice one, huh?  I love Ben all cross-eyed, haha!

Last week we did a little gardening activity with the Bear Scouts, and we had "Dirt Cake" for our treat (I made extra for myself, of course).  

Nothing Like Strawberry Freezer Jam

You just can't buy jam this good!  You've gotta make it yourself (and lick the bowl clean!).

Safety First!

Hey kids!  Remember to wear your helmets when you're taking your doll for a walk!  And make sure you have winter gloves as a nice finishing touch.  (Nina got these as hand-me-downs from her cousin Mary and couldn't wait to put them to good use!)

My Kids' Art Blogs

My kids now have art blogs...I figure it's a great way to keep their stuff without actually storing it in big boxes!

Check them out:

Hannah's Art Studio

Ben Makes The Coolest Stuff

Why You Shouldn't Leave Your Bike in the Driveway

Wanna severe wedgie?  Take a spin on Hannah's bike that wasn't a banana seat bike, but now it is!  Weeeeee!

Little Scooter

Olivia is scooting backwards and rolling all over the place!  Almost time to pull out the stair gate...

Happy Mother's Day Ladies!

I had a nice Mother's Day, I suppose...in between cleaning up throw up and diarrhea!  Doesn't get any better than that, does it?  Oh my, poor Nina.  She's feeling better tonight though, hopefully the barfies don't strike someone else in the middle of the night, huh?

Hannah made me a ton of stuff for Mother's Day, she's so cute and thoughtful.  She made that recipe book for me by ripping recipes out of magazines and stapling them together, haha!  And she made the bracelet with her bead set. Then she and Nina did chalk drawings in my honor this afternoon in the driveway.  And of course, it wouldn't be Mother's Day without a little plant in  a cup with a poem and photo attached from school.  :)

Clay gave me a gift certificate for an hour at Massage Envy, and also a certificate for a manicure and pedicure.  I'm excited about that!  The kids pitched in some of their allowance to pay for it too.  I thought that was cute.

Rice Cereal, Anyone?

She actually loved it and didn't spit it out like all of my other babies did!  Too many funny pictures to share, but these are some of my favorites.