Pretty Pink Stroller

The other day I wanted to make a quick trip to the drug store to pick something up. Anyone who has younger children knows that a quick trip anywhere is pretty much impossible. We did get ready to go pretty quick. Part of getting ready is deciding what to take with you. They always have to take something! Pants decided she had to take her toy stroller. I'm thinking, "Really! You have to take that!". I tried to talk her out of bringing it, but she was determined.

 I was afraid of being embarrassed or hassled with the added item we had to bring. But then I thought, "I want to be the cool mom for my kids.". It was going to make Pants happy to bring the stroller. So, we brought the stroller.

You know what? It wasn't that bad! Pie Pie helped get the stroller in and out of the car and Pants had a great time pushing it around the store. We even put a couple smiles on the other customers' faces!

Sometimes you SHOULD give in to your kids! In the end it made me happy too!

The Blue Bracelet Challenge

My Blue Bracelet

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillipians 4:13

If you get a chance to read my blog regularly you already know that I've been reading Beth Moore's book titled Believing God. In the book there is a challenge to help you draw closer to God. You can pick pretty much anything do do as long as in doing it you are improving your closeness to God. To help you remember your challenge you wear a blue bracelet daily.   
I chose to read my Bible twice every day. I am still working on my challenge. Some days I remember and some days I don't. It's not about being perfect because nobody is. It's about improvement.
You are supposed to wear your bracelet until what you've challenged yourself to do becomes a habit or you feel comfortable taking it off. My bracelet will probably get moldy and fall off before I take it off. ( I like a visual reminder.) I'll just have to make a new one when that happens!

History Stop:Jamestown

Pie Pie and I are learning about American History this year. We started out with the first Americans, the Native Americans and are currently working on the first successful American settlement. If you haven't figured out what that is, it is Jamestown. Pie Pie was very interested in making a project which I will feature on this blog post.
The project she picked is a land map of Jamestown. We got the idea out of a book, I'm just not sure which one. First you start off with a large piece of wood. Then you paint it. The land is green.

Add blue for water and brown for Jamestown. Jamestown was a triangle-shaped town. With only 3 sides it was easier to defend and it quicker to build the walls around. 3 walls instead of 4 equals less building!



Then Pie Pie added on the white roads.



The clay came next. Pie Pie built a wall of clay around Jamestown. She also built a canoe and some houses.

Then we got the paint back out. She painted the wall brown. She also painted her houses and canoe.

We added some trees and horses to the final product.

Pants had fun painting and playing with Play-Doh while Pie Pie worked on her project.

This was a project Pie Pie picked out and was very excited to accomplish! She had a lot of fun while working on it and was very proud when she finished!

Soda Pop, Soda Pop!!

Guest Blogger

Pie Pie

Our family has nine Webkinz. They are cool because you get to play with them on the computer on the Webkinz Wesite and you get to snuggle with them. The bad thing is they die on the computer. It is fun adopting them because you get to name them and pick if it is a boy or a girl. You can also adopt 'Mazing Hamsters from Miss Birdie. Miss Birdie helps you adopt your pet on the website. When you adopt your pet you get a big welcome balloon.



When you are playing on the Webkinz Website you can open places like the Kinzville Academy, the Employment Office, the Curio Shop, and/or the Wish Factory. Kinzville Academy is a school for pets. You get to style a hippo named Plumpy's hair. You can cook pancakes. You can even give your Webkin a check-up from Dr. Quack. Dr. Quack is married to Miss Birdie. 

This is Chip. He is a Raccoon.



This is Ginger. She is a Strawberry Cloud Leopard.

This is Ozzy. He is an Oppossum.

This is Blackie. She is a Black Poodle.


Sometimes your pet will get a fever. If that happens you will have to feed it more food. These foods might help your pets keep healthy: carrot cake, chocolate cake, blueberry pie, and hamburgers. My monkey Bananas loves bananas!

These are the twin Cheeky Monkeys- APom and Bananas.

This is Soda Pop. Soda Pop is a Cherry Soda Pup.

This is J.P. He is a Jelly Bean Puppy.

This is Bamboo. She is a Pretty Panda.

My favorite song at Webkinz of the Year Outlet is Tiger, Tiger. It is a really good song!

Soda Pop is my favorite Webkin. She has cherries on her ears.

Soda Pop says, "Hi!". So does the rest of the gang!

Flavorful Friday

Creamy Vegetable Casserole

from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh baby carrots

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups fresh cauliflowerets

( I used bags of frozen vegetables for the fresh. Just thaw them.)

1 3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

2 Tbsp. of butter

2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. of white pepper

1 cup ( 4 oz. ) shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers ( about 15 crackers )

How to make it!

1. Place carrots in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 3 minutes.

2. Add the broccoli and cauliflower; steam 5 minutes longer or until tender. Transfer vegetables to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish.

3. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in the cream, bouillon, onion powder and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese.

4. Pour over vegetables and stir to coat. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

5. Eat!

This dish was very welcomed at my house! Pie Pie had seconds! If you have kids I highly recommend this side dish. I made it easier for me by using frozen vegetables. You could also substitute a different cheese if your family doesn't like Swiss. Add ham or chicken and make it a meal! I hope your family enjoys this recipe too!

A Leaf of a Different Variety

My family currently does not have a yard, but we make it work. We do outside fun inside! So what if you don't have a tree with leaves! You just have to use your imagination.

All you need is a box of packing peanuts and a sister to dump them on you!

Yes, you do have to clean them up. They are not as dirty as actual leaves!

Pie Pie is the pile! This only works with the little one on top!

Pants figured out the hard way you can't laugh while someone is dumping the "leaves" on you! Packing peanuts are not yummy!

It's the little things that make kids giggle!

Don't worry my kids get to play in actual leaf piles as well as packing peanut ones! We just have to take a trip! Grammy save some leaves for us! We're on our way!

What has Pants been up to?

I feel like Pie Pie gets the lion share of individual posts. Every once in a while Pants needs to be the star! She's always around when we do school, I just don't do any formal schooling with her. She's only 3 going on 4 in November. If she wants to "do learning", as she calls it, we do. I always have something for her to do.
She loves to play and I love to let her!
She likes to build crazy eyeball aliens! What is a crazy eyeball alien? Don't worry I have pictures! Pants made me take them! 

I make marble runs for her. She loves to race the marbles and congratulate the winner! She names them too!

She also likes to cook in her kitchen. Her favorite dish to make is cupcakes! I'm working on teaching her the clean-as-you-go technique. When we work in the real kitchen it's a little neater! Not much, but a little!

Pants is a crazy girl! We call her Jekyll and Hyde. One minute she's hugging and loving you and the next she is throwing a major tantrum on the floor. She can make you laugh with just a few words or a silly face! I wouldn't trade her for the world!
P.S. One of the main reasons I wanted to do this post was to use the random pictures I have of Pants on my camera!