365...Day 32

I realize that I am so lucky to have a husband that does the laundry.  Most weeks, he washes, folds, and SORTS it into baskets before he leaves on his trip.  Here is a picture of how he leaves it for me.  Although I hate for him to be gone, I am glad that the kids and I have a few days to get it put away before he returns from his trip!

 I don't mind doing laundry, as in the washing, and drying part, but I never seem to get it folded and sorted. 

We make a great team!

365...Day 31

Shane would not each a sandwich for many years.  He finally started once he started pre-school.  His favorite is turkey, cheese, and ranch.  Sometimes, I can get him to eat peanut butter, but for some reason, he likes his sandwich folded with two halves instead of the two pieces facing one another.  Strange quirk, I guess.

Chrstmas cooking...puppy chow

Ingredients:
9 cups chex cereal (I use corn)
1 cup choc. chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
(I make adjustments depending on the size of the box of chex.)

Directions:

1.  Pour cereal in a large bowl. 

2.  Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and margarine in a separate bowl and microwave on 50% power.  Stir every 30-45 seconds.

3.  Stir in vanilla.

4.  Pour chocolate mix over cereal and toss until all are evenly coated.

5.  Place a third of the mix in a ziploc bag with 1 cup powered sugar.  Seal and shake until all pieces are white. 

6.  Spread on wax paper to cool. 

7.  Repeat with the other parts of mix until all is coated in powered sugar.

8. Store in an air-tight container. 

Makes a great gift to share with others around the holidays!

Christmas cooking...Tiger Butter

Ingredients:

6 oz. Almond Bark

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

6 oz. Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate chips

(My batch is doubled or tripled, depending on how much almond bark is in the package.)

Directions:

1.  Melt almond bark in microwave on low power (50%).  I do this in 30-45 second increments, stirring in between.

2.  Stir peanut butter in with almond bark.

3.  Line a 9X13" pan with wax paper and pour in mixture.

4.  In a separate bowl, melt chocolate chips.  Spoon over mixture.

5.  Use a knife on top to make swirls.

6.  Let harden in refrigerater 1-2 hours. 

7.  Break apart and serve. 

8.  I store extra in zip-loc bags.

365..Day 30

Small ice cream cup = small root beer float.  My girl is so creative.  We love to eat at Dickey's!

Yes, she has on a pink Santa hat.  NO she is not still wearing it in January February.  I am just slow at blogging.

365...Day 29

SAME VIEW...DAY 3...

Although getting an ice storm and having to stay at home and rest was super cool after a whirl-wind vacation to ski in Utah, enough is enough.  This is our view out the front door and it looks as though it will be the same icy driveway tomorrow, too.  It seems that the roads are getting better, but I cannot get out of my driveway.  Maybe I should just try it and if I hit my neighbor's car, oh well.  He's not supposed to park his car in the street anyway!

Snow Ice Cream

Last time it snowed, several people posted on Facebook that they made Snow Ice Cream with their kids.  I decided it was time for us to try it.  I googled and found Paula Dean's recipe.  Here it is:

Ingredients:

8 cups snow, or shaved ice

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Place snow or shaved ice into a large bowl.

Pour condensed milk over snow and add vanilla.

Mix to combine.

Serve immediately in bowls.

Taste...

Yummy!!!



365...Day 28

We recently started jiu-jitsu lessons. These were taken the night the kids got their gis. Too fun. Don't they just look like little ninjas. The excercise they are getting is great. Lots of obstacle courses, jumping, push-ups, etc. So totally good for wiggly kids. Only drawback is sitting at their gym 2 hours several times a week. My kids will get lots of extra "learning book" and DS time.

Battle of the Bluebonnets

Our school is amazing!  They come up with all kinds of ways to challenge and engage kids.  In December, 70+ students competed in the Battle of the Bluebonnets competition.  This competition asked kids 15 or so questions from 10 different novels that were chosen by librarians.

2010-2011 Battle of the Bluebonnets Titles:  Books Sarah read in italics.

Calvin Coconut Trouble Magnet by Graham Salisbury

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Mudshark by Gary Paulsen

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912: The Day the Titanic Sank by Dan Brown

How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor

Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

Sarah's team of 3rd grader girls got 4th place!!  I am so glad she is finally enjoying reading!

My punk rocker girl -- turns 9

All decked out for her punk rocker sleep over.  Didn't realize that she had so much "Steve" in her.  I put together the outfit, but she did the pose all on her own.  Thankful that she has a KLTY heart on the inside.

Here's a close up of that face...

Her groupies...

and her cake...

A birthday full of LEGO fun

More specifically, a STAR WARS LEGO birthday.  Lots of searching on the interent by the mama to find LEGO themed stuff for Shane's 6th birthday. Thank goodness for ETSY for the digital images for the cupcakes and Edible Images for the brownie topper.  I cannot imagine what people did before the internet!

Cupcakes turned out cute, but boy was that icing a mess.  Somehow it came out green on the other end.

 Love Shane's excitement as we sang him Happy Birthday

Contemplating his wish...

I think he had a great time with his friends!!

Daddy enjoyed helping Shane put together the many LEGO toys he received.

Even little kitty had fun with the Legos (see the blue one in her mouth)

365...Day 27

Oh how I love a Monte Cristo sandwich.  I used to eat this sandwich at Bennigann's, but since they have closed in Texas, I now eat it at Cheddars.  If you haven't ever sinned and eaten a Monte Cristo, it is a deep-fried --- ham, turkey, and cheese--sandwich that you dip in raspberry preserves.  Oh so yummy.  To make it a little less bad, I eat it with a side of steamed broccoli. ;) and a Dr. Pepper, of course.

365...Day 26

Having a great time selling Girl Scout Cookies. 

This is Sarah and Olivia on the day we picked up at the Ft. Worth ZOO. 

12 cases each = 144 boxes of cookies.

Sarah and I love Caramel Delights and Lemonades. 

Shane loves PB Patties and Thin Mints.  Steve eats whatever is open.

Here are the pallets upon pallets of cookies at the zoo.  The line to get cookies was about an hour when we got there at 10:00.  As we were leaving, there was a huge traffic jam just waiting to get into the parking lot.  Glad we went before that started.  I don't mind waiting in a line, but I HATE traffic.

Here is the picture Sarah took for her sign at Steve's work.  Man, she is quickly growing into a beautiful young lady.