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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

COOKING WITH KIDS!


I found this at campbells.com----Anything to get my son at the dining table.....he would prefer to set in front of the tv to eat----I am trying to break him of that, before I know it he will be grown and I do not want to miss any moment of the little him!

What do you get when you combine some family favorite dinners along with a few fun activities? A great opportunity to start building lasting memories. Here are few memory-making ideas you can serve up along with your great dinners.
Eat dinner together at the table as much as possible. Not only is it a good time for family bonding, but this conversational period actually promotes good digestion. Every other month, go formal. Break out the good china and glassware (don't forget the candles!), and have one of the kids set a formal table. Besides being fun, it's a good way to learn which side of the plate the fork goes on and what all those different glasses are for. This is also a perfect time to teach manners and etiquette. Don't worry about making fancy, unfamiliar food for these affairs—the family favorites work just fine here. Rainy or snowy days are perfect times for an indoor picnic. Spread a blanket on the living room floor and, if you have a fireplace, build a fire for atmosphere. If you get stuck on menu ideas, winter barbecues are always different, fun and, of course, great tasting. How can you beat BBQ chicken and potato salad anytime of the year? Nothing boosts a child's self esteem more than a sense of accomplishment and spending time with a grownup in the kitchen. Share the cooking with one of the kids. Four- to eight-year-olds can add premeasured ingredients to a bowl and stir them together (great for developing hand-eye coordination) or wash vegetables in the sink and place in a colander (encourages cleanliness). If you're making meatloaf or meatballs, measure all the ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag, seal the bag closed, and have the kids “mold” and massage the mixture until incorporated. Older kids can help with rolling out dough (good for dexterity), measuring ingredients (extra math tutoring!), and planning menus. And if your teenager shows an interest in cooking, give them responsibility for a portion of the meal or even the entire dinner itself—casseroles are a perfect place to start. It's a wonderful way for them to start developing kitchen skills that they'll use for years to come.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Black-and-White Pudding Parfait Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

Black-and-White Pudding Parfait Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Retro Ric Rac Apron and Potholder Set

Retro Ric Rac Apron and Potholder Set

Bake It Pretty - Finger Eye Puppets

Bake It Pretty - Finger Eye Puppets

Bakers Dozen Mini Cupcake Liner Gift Set

Bakers Dozen Mini Cupcake Liner Gift Set

Bake it Pretty - Retro Halloween Mask Assortment

Bake it Pretty - Retro Halloween Mask Assortment

Brinley

Well we all slept long and hard last night, I think Sean was the first one up this morning but he watched cartoons quietly in the living room---he is the only one who slept on the drive to Ft Worth but he certainly fought the urge to sleep last night on the drive home (:  Brinley slept the entire time we were there, she was being sedated to keep her sats up---from what I understand she is still being sedated and is awaiting her 2nd surgery so we will be driving back to Ft Worth Tuesday afternoon---probably as soon as Sean gets out of school.  After this surgery she will finally get to go out of the house just like any other baby :)  yay.  Then surgery 3 will be around the age of 3 I believe Jen said! 

Friday, August 26, 2011

1st week of School!

Well today is Friday--it has been a long week too.  Of course it was the 1st week of school which meant going to bed early and getting up early.  Surprisingly, it all went relatively smoothly on that aspect, Sean even wanted to go EARLY the last 2 day so he could eat breakfast at school.  He finally figured out football, likes hitting people and got his 1st bloody nose----coach shook his had and told him he did great!  Sean was so excited about that.  He was proud of himself and I have to admit I was pretty darned proud of him myself.

Unfortunately,  my beautiful niece Brinley is back down at Cook's Children's Hospital in Fort Worth.  She is going to have a Cardiac Cath in the morning so of course our entire family is praying for Queen B.  She is about to have heart surgery # 2 any time now I am sure.  Sweetest, happiest baby you have ever seen.  (Sean is a little bit jealous of her of her since I talk about her so much).

Trip and Jacob, my twins, live in Richmond, Virginia with their dad.  It has been a lot of stress and worrying about them this week as well.  Earthquake early this week and now Irene moving up the east coast.....sigh.  So much stuff happened this week...

So ready for fall, I know it is still hot but did make 2 pots of soup this week.  Vegetable beef with cornbread and chicken noodle soup.  Sean is asking for potato soup----he will have to wait for grandma to make that one but I guess I need to have her teach me or show me how she makes it because he loves that soup!  Think I am ready for some homemade chili as well------at least in my mind I can think it is starting to cool down :) 


















Monday, August 22, 2011

1st Day of School!

Today was the 1st day of school......I think it was more stressful for me then Sean.  Of course we had to get up early which was a chore in itself!  We are so use to getting up kinda late.   Sean ate breakfast, we finished packing his lunch and then off we went.  We had to park down the street a bit so we had to walk  :)  We unpacked all of his supplies-well HE wanted to unpack everything.  He teacher had papers on each students desk so got him situated at his desk and he started coloring the school bus on one of the pages that was stacked on his desk----thought this would be a good time to tell him that I was leaving, well his eyes teared up some and he quietly whispered no don't go..... :) well I pointed out to him that all the other mommy's had left---I asked him if he wanted to give me a hug and a kiss before I left and it was a solid NO! MOM!  Well at that point it was okay for me to leave, I think he thought he better let me go before I made him give me a hug or a kiss=====I guess he is getting to old for that :( 












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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Full Contact and Tooth Fairy

Well today was Sean's first day of contact football!  He does not want to hurt anyone so he holds back on hitting the other boys.  I am hoping that when he really gets hit for the first time he is going to REALLY know what to do.....the boys on his team are smaller them him so not sure anyone can really hit him hard (:  This is Sean's first sport other then martial arts and that never worked out with my schedule so he hasn't got to do that for a while :(   The boys on the team are very supportive though..... I think football really sets a bond with boys....he needs that, his siblings are all older then him so its like he is an only child in a sense even though he has 4 brothers and 4 sisters....... Monday I am going to have to take him to the boys club and have him re-fitted for shoulder pads; I think his are to small!  He seems to finally be getting use to wearing the helmet and the shoulder pads which is an improvement and he did way better when they were running the kick off!!!!!  WAY BETTER!

This afternoon, he stayed with John while I went to Walmart to use all of my free coupons and when I returned he had lost a tooth!  Not sure if the contact football this morning had anything to do with it but he has written a note for the tooth fairy because he wants to know what she eats so next time he can leaver her a snack :) He wanted to leave her a ding dong!  I convinced him that she eats healthy and would not eat something so sugary since it would cause her teeth to have cavities....hence the note to see if she eats carrots or fruit!  Apparently the tooth fairy glows in the dark----wasn't aware of this myself but according to Sean her arms and everything glows so he would like to keep the tv or lights on so she does not wake him up with her bright glow :)  and if he sees her she will give him a ticket (: Not sure where he heard this story but anyway I wish he would go to sleep :) so she can come get the tooth!!!!!



Friday, August 19, 2011

Meet the Teacher

Today was meet the teacher day!  Sean pleaded and pleaded all day not to make him go back to school....said that he would do anything to not go.....I am going to do public school at least one more year....would like to homeschool but he wanted to play football and to play you have to be enrolled in a public school.  After he got up there and met his teacher he seemed happy with the teacher he got.  This is her first year and she seemed really nice!  He ran out to the car and brought his school supplies in and placed them in his locker....he was excited about the locker too; it was a big kids locker rather then a cubby like he had in kindergarten :) He actually has a desk this year too instead of sharing a table with a group of kids....it has his name on it and everything....well here is to a good school year!  Hopefully a better year for us as a family as well :)  Faith in God.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Webfetti.com

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites on the Food Network

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites on the Food Network

Philly Dogs on the Food Network

Philly Dogs on the Food Network

Frito Dogs on the Food Network

Frito Dogs on the Food Network

Chicago Dogs on the Food Network

Chicago Dogs on the Food Network

Monday Wrong!!!

Well I woke up this morning---Thinking it was Monday! I stress on Mondays even though I have been on short-term at work and other then going to the doctor and taking Sean to practice not much to do but still stress over those little things----ugh!  Well its Sunday so now I can try to wait until tomorrow to stress over----maybe since I did it today I wont have to do it again until tomorrow! 

Saturday, August 13, 2011

It's called Rain!!!!

We finally got some much needed rain!  Thank you Lord!  We needed it so bad, everyone seemed to be in shock....I was.  We also had hail, wind, thunder and lightening but who is complaining, oh, the temps dropped some as well.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

Fireflies!

 One of my fondest childhood memories is spending the evening outside with my younger brother catching fireflies!  We would catch them and put them in jars and of course some always managed to get smeared on our clothes (sorry little firefly).  I have noticed this summer that I do not see them anymore!  Where have they gone? I would love Sean to be able to run around the backyard and try to catch them!  I would hate for him not to experience the magic of fireflies twinkling in the dark!

No Rain!

Well during the night I heard a loud noise outside.... thought about it for a few minutes and though I better get up and take a look to see what the noise was!  Well I got up and looked out the window and just when I was about to let go of the curtain I saw light fill up the sky----you got it, it was lightening!  That got me curious so I went to the front door and sure enough thunder  and lightening!  I don't think it ever rained any but we do have another chance today so I am praying to GOD that we get some much needed rain! Temperatures are suppose to start dropping this week and by Sunday were are SUPPOSE to be under 100!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Disney Cinnamon Rolls

Tiger Cub

Tiger Cub

Sean

Sean
First day of practice

Mom

Mom
Mom making her peach cobbler.


Moms Peach Cobbler