Pedal away

Video of Griffin riding the tricycle- he has mastered pedaling!  Sorry about the background mower noise.

Sydney at 2.5 when we bought the tricycle!

Breakfast

I made the dough from this recipe and instead of baking it as a loaf I cut the roll into 2 inch sections and put them in a casserole dish, let them rise and then baked them.

I made a drizzle with milk, confectioners sugar and a touch of brown sugar.  Yummy breakfast.

We love this recipe and it is made with 2/3 whole wheat flour and a small amount of sugar (4Tbsp) so it really is a rather good option.



Earth Day

 Sunday was Earth day and I knew it was going to be cold and rainy so we celebrated a day early.  The kids and I headed out on a walk with the wagon, a few plastic bags and sanitizing wipes.

Griffin rode most of the way and supervised the wipes and my phone. 

Sydney was on a mission to pick up trash.

As we walked we talked about keeping the earth clean and why we recycle.

 "We could do this everyday mom, there is so much trash"  Sad but true.  People are so rude and they litter especially on this stretch of woods between the golf course and another subdivision.  We picked up two bags of trash and had to head home. 

Respecting the planet and passing it on to my children in good shape is just one of my ambitions.  Did you do anything for Earth day?



Griffin Update

Griffin is now 2.5 and such a big, little boy.  I say big because he is growing up but little because he is still short and small.  He is doing very well with potty training lately and has not had a pee accident in almost a week but we are still working on going poop in the potty.  He loves his bog boy underwear- Cars and Thomas.  Most nights before bed he tells me he does not want to wear a diaper, he is a bog boy and wears underwear.  He does wake up dry often but I am not ready for him to wear underwear to bed. 

Griffin continues to be a big talker and loves to sing like his sister.  One of his new statements is "I wanna do what I wanna do."  Ha, join the club.  He loves to be outside just doing whatever.  He will still ride in the stroller when we go on walks but if Sydney is walking or running along he wants to do the same. 

Griffin can count to 14 without mistakes and knows several shapes and colors.  He has been singing ABC's for  a while now.  He loves his cars, trains, trucks, certain books and his golf set.  He still adores his big sis and always wants to tag along. 

We are so proud of our little boy, he is such a joy.

Sunroom

Two Sundays ago after church and a visit to the park and a picnic we headed home to work outside. 

I put the kids in their swimsuits and moved the patio furniture to the yard.
 I gave them both rags, cups and buckets of warm soapy water. 

The kids had fun, the furniture is now clean and I was able to clean the floor in the sun room.
I actually started cleaning the sun room on Friday night after they were tucked in bed- wow what a process.  I am hoping we are almost done with all this tree pollen.

So Sunday night we had our first of many cookouts and summer meals in our sun room. 
YEAH!

A few of my favorites

I was inspired by Christy to share a few of my favorites:

being surrounded by my family, a surprise note/card in the mail, chocolate, brie, a margarita, eating in our sunroom, a pretty sunrise or sunset, my feet in the sand, gardening, being called momma, holding hands with my husband, girl nights, close friends, long walks, feeling productive, enjoying my work, baking, reading a great book, snuggling with a wiggly kiddo, watching things grow, fresh flowers, worshiping the Lord, hearing my children pray, ice cream on a hot day, a good cup of coffee, listening to birds....and so many more things

Care to share a few of your favorites?

Kindergarten Screening

Tuesday morning Sydney was scheduled for her kindergarten screening.  We dropped Griffin off at day care and stopped by Wilco Hess to pick out a donut as a special treat.  I wish we had a cool donut or coffee shop but we do not so the gas station was our only choice.  Sydney thought this was extra fun because I let her pick and she takes after her momma and wanted the chocolate cake donut.  On the way to the school I was asking her questions, for example what is your phone number, how high can you count.  Sydney asked me to pray for her so she would do well on her screening.  I am so glad she initiated a prayer before her "test".  When we got to the school we held hands and prayed that she would remember all the things she has learned and do well.  This brought back memories of ALL my school days and I would study so hard and then pray before a test that I would remember everything and that somehow all the knowledge in my head would be reflected on paper. 
Sydney was a bit shy at first and hesitant to go with the teacher but she went and I waited.  The kids are taken to a separate room in groups of 4-5 kids, 1 child per teacher and tested on various things- writing their name, drawing shapes, identifying pictures, sorting blocks, identifying letters.  After about an hour the teacher brought her back and said she did an excellent job.  They do not show you what your child did or give you any sort of score.  She was given a coloring book about starting school, a book of nursery rhymes and a letter book to practice.  We are getting excited and get apprehensive (mainly Bill and I).

Sunday Mornings

This is our usual Sunday morning tradition, pancakes, half blueberry for Griffin and momma and half plain for Syd and daddy.  Griffin loves to help whisk and help eat blueberry as we cook.   This week I tried a blueberry syrup that I found at Aldi's and oh boy was it delicious, I will be buying more.

Do you have a weekend morning tradition?  Do you usually have any little helpers in the kitchen?

Movie Night

Friday night the kids and I had movie night.  We snuggled up and ate kettle corn, with a few hidden peanut M&M's and watched Charlotte's Web.

Griffin is making an intense face in this picture but I still think he is adorable.

We enjoy the simple things, like homemade kettle corn and snuggles.

Do your kids have any favorites that you loved as a kid?

Garden Notes

Today I worked in the garden.  I transplanted tomatoes and peppers that we started inside to the raised beds outside.  I also planted cucumbers, squash, cilantro and a few flowers. 

I drew myself a diagram of which variety is planted where and I wish I could show you.....well actually I can.  If you did not know now you do I am a bit OCD.

So the bed on the left has cucumbers at the far end and the three rows of tomato plants are Early Girl (bush hybrid), patio princess (hybrid) and roma (tomato cherry) from the left to the right.  The right bed has squash (saffron straightneck) at the far end, and three rows of peppers, Golden Baby Belles and Jalapeno (gigante).
 I also planted three large pots and numbered them on the bottom with permanent marker, number 1 has patio princess tomatoes, 2 has Early Girls and 3 has cucumber
I have garlic growing behind our hostas along the sun porch and I also planted some Cosmos and 1 more patio princess plant in the corner.  In the middle landscaped bed with has azaleas and a few other large bushes I am growing my dwarf top hat blueberries and I planted a few squash seeds.
Our back bed which is very shaded and full of bush type plants and a Japanese maple I planted some bachelor buttons. 
So I am going to have a lot to water but thankfully my rain barrel is full and being put to good use. 

around here

Highlights from the week:

Tuesday night dinner and movie Mirror Mirror with a friend, a needed break from night time routines

Wednesday afternoon baking lemon oatmeal cookies, banana bread and waffles.  It always feels good to regroup and get organized for the remainder of the work week, I love my half day.

Exercise 4/5 days this week, trying to stay on track

Looking forward to this weekend with the family.  Weather is supposed to be gorgeous so I am sure we will spend the majority of the weekend outside.  Bill is finishing up the landscaping and I have plans to plant some of the garden with the kids.  Long walks and grilling out are also on the list.  Sunday we have a nursery meeting/picnic after church at the park.

What are your weekend plans and how was your week?

Easter 4 years ago

Easter Festivities

Crafts at the church- sorry the picture is so dark

door hangers

Easter egg hunt, Griffin kept opening each egg he found so he did not get very many

Sydney was trying to help him, so sweet.

the kids had an egg hunt at daycare also, so much fun

Sunday after church they wanted to hide eggs for me to find and then I hid some for them to find

dying eggs- fun to see how they turn out when you mix colors

Easter baskets- of course a John Deere tractor for Griffin

butterfly nets for both of them, hair bows for Syd, watering cans- a duck and a hippo and new Thomas underwear for our big boy

and one chocolate bunny each which Griffin helped himself to before breakfast

yummy nets- chowmein noodles, butter, marshmallow's and peanut butter filled with peanut m&m's

Griffin had already taken off his clothes for tubby and then decided on some dessert

Uninvited Guest

Oh yes we had a mouse in our house, actually more than one and they were in Sydney's closet.  I made the mistake of leaving guinea pig food in a plastic bag and I could not figure out why there was always a hole in the bag....then I found mouse poop.  So now the food is in a Rubbermaid bin and I spent hours cleaning the closet and the mouse traps were set and we have actually caught two mice. 

Syd's closet has an door that goes to the eaves and I guess the guinea pig food was a major invite to mice.

I have never had a rodent in a house or apartment and let me just say I was so grossed out!

Homemade Tutu

I saw this idea on another blog and decided to try to make a tutu from tulle myself
This pink one is for Sydney

this one is for a little girl yet to be born, I went to her baby shower Saturday

it was rather easy, all you need is elastic ( I think I used 1/2 inch?), tulle and ribbon

fun for dress up!

Rain Barrel

Here it is!  I believe it holds 60 gallons of water and it filled up quickly.

here is one of my blueberry plants- it was dormant when it arrived but it is already growing and sprouting leaves.

We have had beautiful weather lately and spend most of our weekend outside -working on weeding, pine needles, flower beds and prepping the raised beds for veggies.  More pictures soon.

Resurrection of Jesus- preschool activity

I have mentioned before that we get the Thriving Family publication by Focus on the Family and it is full of great articles, reviews and activities.
This month there is a great activity for preschoolers (and adults).  The kids and I will be doing this together on Friday.

Supplies:
6 plastic eggs- each a different color
bread crumb, paper cross, strip of cloth, rock and piece of candy

As you tell the story of the Resurrection let your child open each egg and you can explain the meaning as you go along

1. Bread crumb: Jesus ate dinner with his friends (Luke 22:14-15)
2. Cross: The next day, Jesus died on the Cross (John 19: 17-18)
3. Strip of cloth:  He was wrapped in cloth and placed in a tomb (John 19:40)
4. Rock:  A stone was placed in front of the tomb (Matthew 27:59-60)
5.  Empty Egg: Jesus' friends came to the tomb and saw the stone has been moved.  The tomb was empty.  (Luke 24:1-3)
6.  Candy:  Jesus is alone.  That is the sweet surprise of Easter.  (Matthew 28:5-6)

Encourage your child to retell the story in their own words.

Another zoo trip

Two weekends ago the kids and I went back to the zoo.  Bill had to work a home show so after church we got lunch and then headed to the zoo and started in Africa this time. 
We saw the elephants and the kids pretended to go on elephant safari and rode in the helicopter

they climbed on rocks

we spent a long time watching the chimps and captured some awesome moments on video (see below)

we saw the lion this time, they were hiding on our last visit

we found lemur island- which we somehow missed last trip

we checked out the flamingos

then we went in the aviary and identified all kinds of birds, plants and flowers

the flowers were so pretty

our kids were cute too

Sydney spotted this pineapple plant

Here are a few videos of the chimps- very captivating and entertaining this trip

We cannot wait to go back!