Spring Activities

Since it's officially Spring, I'm going to put up my list of activities to-do with the kids. Right now, we're more focused on Easter crafts, but next week we're going to start back checking things off our list! Some of these activities are completely obvious and others not so much. But maybe it'll help someone with their "what to do" dilemma. And the list makes a useful point of reference for me. 

1. Park
2. Roller Skating /Biking/ Skateboarding. ...you know, feet on wheels?
3. Bubble Play
4. Pool Play (I actually blogged about this, you can read that here. It's definitely something we're going to do again this year! )
5. Walks/Jogs
6. Milkshakes/Ice Cream
7. Painting Outside . Let the kids paint the yard in washable paint, it'll rain eventually!
8. Spring Photos
9. Rainy Day Outdoor Play - it's the perfect whether to play in the rain! We jumped puddles and danced in the rain the other day during our walk.
10. Cookout- the kids can help prep the food and you can enjoy a dinner under the stars/clouds/sun.
11. Field day. This is me reliving my childhood and giving them one all at one time. One leg races, bobbing for apples, tug of war, dodgeball; our family is gonna play it all!
12. Star Gazing ...or take it a step further with backyard camping or just go camping
13. Hiking. I wouldn't do this, because I'm not one with nature, but my husband plans on doing this with our boys.
14. Fishing. Again, another one I won't participate in.
15. Shopping Spree. It's nice to just let the kids blow $25 at Dollar Tree every once in a while. And letting them help pick out their much needed Spring/Summer clothes is a must do!
16. Chalk. Bring back hop scotch!
17. Slip n Slide. This is more fun than a pool, because you get muddy.
18. Sports. It's a good time to play some football, baseball, basketball, soccer, etc. Or to practice flips and cheers.
19. Water balloon fights.
20. Nature Exploration. Find bugs and plants, observe and discuss them.
21. Outdoor Interactive Story Time. Change of scenery.
22. Gardening.

I'll probably add to the list if I think of anything else they want to do, or if they think of anything else they want to do.  But for now, we'll have tons of fun focusing on the 22 items already listed. 

Kitchen Creations: Buttaaa Chicken

Seriously, ya'll there's nothing butta than this chicken.  (I had to share one of my many puns I dish out when making this chicken.)

There's a whole lot of healthier things to eat, but we put our butter chicken on top of salad so that kind of balances it out, right? 

This is my husbands favorite chicken recipe, but I only use it with salad. And since chicken salad is one of our weekly go-to's, as you can probably tell (I have at least 4 posts mentioning salad).  I probably cook this once or twice a month.  

Like I said the recipe isn't for the health conscious, but it is delicious and super easy.  And it's so perfect on top of salad.  

I  take a cup/one stick of butter, 3 chicken breasts cut into chunks, and my choice of seasoning, and throw them in a iron skillet on medium.  I stir every 3 to 4 minutes, and the chicken is done in 15-20 minutes. It's not a lot of work at all.  

If you're wondering, my seasonings of choice are: basil, onion powder, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, lemon pepper, pepper, and a little bit of spice (hot sauce, pepper flakes, etc.).  I skip the salt on this one because there's so much butter.  But I change my seasoning occasionally, and the butter chicken always comes out perfect.  So if you ever try it, just season to taste and do what's comfortable.

Deliciousness is butta few steps away.

  

The Number Train

Today we "rode the number train".  Well, we actually just completed a counting/pattern activity I randomly decided to do with the boys.  But it was referred to as the number train.

I printed out different rail cars that I found on clip art and the numbers 1-14.  

I then cut out and pasted the cars together (Why didn't I just print out one long train?), and I cut out and put tape on the back of all the numbers.  

I let my boys do the rest. They counted the rail cars and took turns finding and placing the correct numbers unto the cars. 

And once they were all numbered, we discussed the patterns and reviewed counting and number recognition.  (I also get bonus points for remembering to ask color questions).

My train was way bigger than I intended it to be, so we ended up throwing it away when we were done.  But my boys enjoyed the train enough that I made a self vow to make it again, in felt or with Velcro. They definitely want to do the activity again, and it's pretty flexible so I can add different things to it, like letters or sight words.  

The number train may soon be "the educational train".  I will share the reusable version once it's made, but for now I will just reprint the paper one...just way smaller.

Kitchen Creations: "Homemade" Croutons

Quick kitchen creation today! 

I had the displeasure of overcooking the garlic bread the other week. I've been having a lot of those kind of days lately.

Well, one man's trash can be the same man's treasure.  

My overcooked, but not quite burnt garlic bread may not have been the best bread, but it became the perfect croutons for our salad.  

Seriously, y'all we all loved the bursts of flavor; I'm never buying croutons again! 

Simply bake garlic bread until the top and bottom is hard, but not burnt. (I think it took me like 30 minutes to do this. I'm not completely sure, because I didn't over bake the bread on purpose.) 

Then cut it up, and toss it on top of a salad.  

Easy & you can add that you make the best homemade croutons to your list of cooking accomplishments! 

Black History Month

I know March is here! But my kids did a presentation for Black History Month, and I am still a little obsessed with it. 

Their grandparents, aunt, and uncles came over and my boys put on quite the performance! 

While I am not sharing the video of their presentation, I can't help but share the slideshow they made. 

They picked the slides, the pictures, and the placement and size of the pixtures.  And they recorded their lines.  The sound isn't the best, but the slideshow is just a gem.  

So I decided to share it with the world! 

Kids, Music, & Education

Yesterday, I was in mood.  It was one of the worst days I have had in a while.  

Today was better, but I was still not completely my sunshine-and-rainbows-self.  But life goes on, and I have to roll with it whether I feel like it or not.  We have a Black History Month Presentation that we're doing on the evening of the 28th; I really needed to get some work done with the boys today.  

So I sang.  

Singing lifts my mood, and my boys learn quickly through song.

And today, I happened to catch the attention of little Miss Noelle. 

That's 4 birds, one stone.  

Skyland and Noelle are karaoke people, they sing dance and clap along.  Azariah is my music appreciation guy, he sits listens and smiles; Sometimes he may hum or sing lowly, sometimes.  But they were all interested and participating in ther own way.  

Randomly throughout the day, at 5 to 15 minute intervals we sang.  We reviewed what they already knew, and they learned a lot of new things.  They even had a few Black History Facts to tell Daddy this evening.  

Songs are how they are/were taught the days of the week, months, how to spell their names, counting, the alphabet (obviously), continents, and now history.  Next it'll be the periodic table! (Well, maybe in some years...after I learn it myself).  And if there isn't a song for what I teach, I pick a familiar melody and put together a few lines that rhyme or kind of rhyme.  

Today I made a song about the old cowboys.  It's not a great song, but it's informative and the kids loved it.  Good enough for me!

To put it simply, music is art. Art sparks creativity, originality, and individuality.  

Music is fun, and it can be educational.  It is one of the strongest and most effective teaching tools, especially for younger minds.  And utilizing it makes me feel like I'm not only bonding with my kids, but giving them a head start. 

Kitchen Creations: Chicken & Potato Casserole

Ever had one of those days where you just don't care? 

Well, today I'm sharing my I dont care enough to care meal! It's also my I ran out of grocery money meal.  So this dinner isn't just easy and one-pan, it's frugal! 

The meal isn't the cutest thing on the planet, and I am usually in a mood when I make it, so I don't have any photos of it... 

You need: 
Butter
Cut up Precooked Chicken (Yes, use those leftovers! But if the chicken isn't precooked, it will still work, just make sure it is in little bits.)
Potatoes
Broccoli
Cheddar
Salt
Pepper
Parsley
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks.
2. Throw the potatoes chicken and broccoli into a skillet, pan or crockpot.
3. Season and add butter to taste.

I do not use measurements with this recipe, but they aren't really necessary...Everything is pretty much to your need and preference, which is why this is my "I don't care meal".  I'm literally throwing stuff into a pot. 

4. Bake at 400 for about an hour.
Or cook in the crockpot on low for 4 hours.
Or add a little water and cook in the skillet on medium for 45 minutes, stirring occassionally.
(It's done when the potatoes can easily be stabbed with a fork, and the chicken is cooked through.)

5. Add the cheese 10 minutes before the meal is done, or after the meal is done.

And that's it. Easy, not-so-fast, but definitely easy. It's not the most delicious homemade meal, but no one will go to bed hungry! It's a loaded baked potato in casserole form, I don't think anyone will complain. (Assuming everyone is a baked potato fan.)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Things have been crazy over here, we've been dealing with fevers, attitudes, ear infections, and everything in between! 

So I have been M.I.A.  

But it's Valentine's Day, and I am back.  I just want to wish everyone a happy valentine's day! 

Spread a little love and enjoy the day. 

There's nothing wrong with giving extra love to your valentine, whether it's a sibling, friend, child, parent, or lover! 

I love seeing love! And I love giving love.  

So take the selfies, eat the candy, give the flowers...

Enjoy the day! 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!! 

I will see ya'll tomorrow, I'll be back with a recipe. 

Kitchen Creations: Beef Teriyaki & Rice

There's a restauraunt nearby that serves Korean Beef Teriyaki over a spicy rice.  Well, it is delicious! It is also $13.  Which isn't very expensive, but it still isn't a price I am willing to pay every time I have a craving for it.

So I made it myself, and it's pretty delicious.  Now I'm going to share it, so I have a reference if I go a while without making it.  And because it's pretty good and cheap, and ya'll may like it, too! I've made this recipe twice for $7 - $10, and it feeds about 4 people.

The rice is super easy. I buy two boxes of jambalaya and follow the directions.  I just don't add any meat.

Then there's the beef: I buy whatever is on sale stew beaf or any steak.  If it's stew beef, make sure to cut it into small pieces, so the teriyaki flavor is in every bite.  Different cuts will have different flavors.  But if you're not a meat connosour, it isn't a big difference.  I season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, and werchestershire sauce.  Just enough sauce that it's on every piece of meat, but not enough to wear the meat is swimming in it.

In a seperate bowl I make my own teriyaki sauce. I used to make teriyaki chicken a lot, so I have this down to a science.  I basically combine soy sauce and brown sugar until I reach my desired taste.  (If you don't have brown sugar, you can use a little honey and regular sugar.) You can make it to your own taste preference, so it won't be too sweet or too bitter.  You can also just use teriyaki sauce.

Then I drown the beef in the teriyaki sauce, and cooked it on medium in a skillet for about 30 minutes; I let the edges get slightly charred.

Plate the rice.  Top it with beef.

And it's an easy 30 minute dinner, that tastes like you went out to eat.

I made this scrumptious-ness twice in a week, and I am making it again next week.

Give A Little Love

Can you believe it is February already? 

Can you believe that Valentine's Day is in two short weeks?

With the holiday of love right around the corner, I just wanted to encourage everyone to spread a little extra love.  Any excuse to spread love is a good excuse.  So why not do some good in the name of Valentine's Day?  

My boys will be kicking off the two weeks of spreading love by carrying around rolls of stickers.  They are going to give the stickers away (or keep them), at their own discretion.  This gives them something to give, and the option to give.  My boys are sweethearts (usually), so I think it will be cute to see them give. They will secretly be earning stickers, for every good deed they do. Whether it's handing out stickers, or going out thier way to help another. And on Valentine's Day they will get a piece of candy for every sticker they have earned.  

We are also spending the next two weeks giving in another way. We are starting at home by sharing and donating Any items we don't use like toys, books, clothes, shoes, furniture, pots, etc. are all being given away to those that may need them. We will also be doing some things locally. On my to-do list is: give cards to nursing homes, visit nursing homes, participate in Project: Beautiful, send candy to local foster homes, make goody bags for the homeless, volunteer at soup kitchens, and give toiletries to local shelters. Obviously, we aren't going to get all this done, but we are going to try to check off as many as we can! 

One little thing can make a big difference to someone. And if our kids witness us trying to put good into the world and caring for others, maybe they will grow up and do the same! So try and spread some love this Valentine's Day. 

DIY Photo Frames

One of my first thoughts this morning was how badly we needed picture frames,  So I decided that we would make our own, and not use popsicle sticks! ...Who needs to run to the store when you have a lot of random supplies sitting around?
So here are our three frames, just in case you are on a frame shortage or creative kick. Or if you are like me and want to show off family pictures, with a little extra umph!


1. Book Frame
Old Book, Paint, Glue, Glue Dot/ Tape

The boys painted an old book.  And when it dried, I glued the pages ends together.  Then I put the glue dot on the back of a picture and put it on the book.

It's a cool frame for a shelf or table.

2. Gift Box Frame
Gift Box Top, String/Rope/PipeCleaners, Glue Dot/Tape

The boys had nothing to do with this one. I put two holes in the boxes top (using a pen) threaded the pipe cleaner through, and that's it. Then I put the glue dot on the back of the photo, and put it in the the frame.

This one is going to look pretty cool hanging or leaning, and I can turn it around in the winter to show the snow scene on the othe side. 

I am pretty impressed with myself.

3. Construction Paper Frame

Construction Paper, Back Piece of Spiral Notebook/ Cardboard, Blocks, Crazy Glue, Glue, Glue Dots/Tape
I cut out a 2 inch border on a sheet of computer paper, and let the boys glue torn up construction paper on it.  After the rectangle border dried,  I glued the sides to the cardboard piece of an old spiral notebook, I then took two blocks, super glued them together, then super glued them to the back of the frame. I took the glue dots, and put two photos inside It stands on its own!


I may change the photos I used.  But don't the frames looks so neat?! And there's no glass, so I don't have to worry about any huge incidents if I decide to sit the photos somewhat within reach! 

Happy (Late) Birthday, Skyland!

I left the blog hanging on Wednesday.  

You know how it is when the to-do list gets a little too long? Wednesday meshed with Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

And was my oldest's birthday was last week as well! 

My little angel is 4 now! We celebrated with dinner and a mini-vacation.  And we surprised him with a kiddie microscope ... that apparently is more interesting in photos than in real life. (He still appreciates though, just in very short spans.)

Naturally, he's also going to get a (late) Happy Birthday, Skyland! on my blog today...& I'm going to briefly stroll down memory lane. Who knows? Maybe he'll read this one day.  

It's still hitting me that my baby boy is growing so fast, and he's turned into a nerve-wrecking, crazy, sweetheart.  I am in love with my dramatic mini-me.  And even though sometimes he is the very reason I need some HaWine Punch, I am VERY proud to be his mommy!  

I'm going to share a few photos of my boy from bug-eyed baby to a silly preschooler.  Just look at my beautiful little angel that keeps me grounded! (Ya'll he was the cutest little bug-eyed alien baby this planet has ever seen, and he's grown to be so darn handsome!)  

Dinner (& Wine Mixer): Grilled Pineaches (& Chardonnay)

I have done it! Not only do I have a recipe that works with dinner, but I have a recipe that makes a great wine mixer, too. (Wine is amazing, but Wine Mixers are just so fun to create!)

I call this grilled pineaches [pine-E-chez], because I had a bag of peaches and a bag of pineapples. . (And because I still take pleasure in combining two words to make one rediculous word.) 

Disclaimer: I call anything I put in a skillet, grilled. No grill was used. 

Directions: 

I let my frozen fruit thaw at room temperature for two hours.  

By dinner time, they were pretty soft.  I threw them in a skillet with a 1/4 cup of juice ( I used Passion Fruit Lemonade, because that's what we had on-hand), 2 tablespoons of  brown sugar,  3 tablespoons of  ground cinnamon, and 2 pinches of ground ginger,

I cooked them on medium for 30-45 minutes, stirring regularly.  And sprinkled nutmeg on top when they were done. That's it. An easy, quick side,

These sweet and savory grilled fruits added some balance to our somewhat spicy fried chicken and potato wedges.  And they weren't too sweet or too bitter, so the husband didn't mind eating them with dinner, and the boys ate them without question or complaint.  

After dinner, the grilled pineaches were absolutely perfect when I added 1/2 cup of them into 1 cup of Chardonnay, and blended it.  It helped cut the bitter after-taste of the Chardonnay.

And although I did not try it, I think these would be wonderful with vanilla ice cream. I will buy some ice-cream tomorrow, and top it with the leftovers and let ya'll know! 

Because of their flexibility and catchy name, Grilled Pineaches just may be my new favorite recipe. 

Our Adventure Book

I'm a Wish fanatic.  (Wish is shopping app for those who don't know.) Everything is so cheap, if you're willing to wait a month or two for it to ship from China. I'll admit the clothes are not always as pictured, but they aren't too bad. And everything else I've received was pretty good quality, especially for the small prices I paid. Recently, I bought this charming brown notebook! I call it our "Adventure Book".

The notebook is a small leather book that you close with a faux leather cord and it has the cutest brown pages inside. One of my favorite things about it is that it works like a binder.  I can rearrange the pages if I mess up the order of things; I am mistake-prone so the rings are going to be my saving grace on more than one occasion.  

For sentimental reasons, I keep ticket stubs, small tokens, stickers, business cards, room keys, pictures, etc. of the places we've been and the places we've taken the kids. I like to keep little memorabilia.  I spent the afternoon arranging, glueing/taping, and captioning all our little adventures. And it looks so neat in one little book! (It would look better if my handwriting was better and my pens didn't suck, but oh, well.)   As the book fills up, it will just look more impressive. 

My family thought the book looked so neat and fun; they found it "interesting".  The boys proved how sharp their memories were, and joined me on a quick stroll down memory lane.  I didn't do this project as a kid craft/activity, but it was still one the kids and I ended up enjoying together. If it really matters, you can always hand the children a glue stick and let them help...But, if you are like me and enjoy creative outlets, it's definitely worth doing alone!

All About Centers

I have brought back centers! 

For those who don't know what centers are, it's basically small areas with an activity or similar toys.  A lot of daycares and elementary schools have them; kids are usually exposed to them at one point in time or another.  

Since mine are no longer in daycare, they haven't been in centers in a year.  Well, all that has changed this week, because they have made it into our home.  And they are here to stay! 

I have a love/hate relationship with centers.

I love them because:

1. The boys clean them up quicker
2. Toys aren't everywhere and in everything.  So they are way less messy. I'm not tripping as much; I am still tripping though, there's nothing I can do about that.
3. It makes it easier to seperate the boys when they don't get along.
4. It makes it easier to discipline the boys.  (An example, the alphabet/number magnets on the fridge are a center.  Azariah decided to take the magnets off and try to throw them behind the fridge.  He wasn't allowed in that center for two days.  He hasn't done it since.)
5.Problem solving, in general, is easy! (If they both want to play with blocks, but don't want to play together.  I can divide the blocks up and separate them, or put a timer on the center.)  They seem to argue less, and I can appreciate that.
6. They are super easy to make.  The ones we have are: coloring, reading, hard toys, stuffed toys, blocks, puzzles, books, chalkboard, dry erase boards, desk center (I'm still working on opening it), magnets, and "mommy's helper".
7. They feel like they have options.
8. They help me keep a (loose) schedule.  I don't time the centers, but the boys haven't stayed in one center longer than an hour.  So time doesn't get away from me as much.  Lunch is always between 1 and 2,  and nap time is always between 2 and 3.

I hate them because:
1. They are a pain to monitor.  I have to constantly remind them not to pull something out, or to clean up before they move on. And sometimes it turns into a thing.
2. It kind of takes away their freedom of imagination. That's why I didn't divide the dinosaurs from the guns, and the cars from the music toys. Because what if the dinosaur needs to play the drum to scare the bad cars off? You know?   I did all their regular toys all together, and then they have stuffed toys, and blocks.  They can't build a building for the dinosaurs to hide behind, but there are still other ways for them to get creative.  I just hate feeling like I am putting a limit on it
3. That freedom of choice goes straight to their heads, somedays.  They'll be convinced that they're about to pick dinner and bed time, too.  I hate busting that bubble.
4. It makes me less likely to play with them.  If they decide to draw or read, I am there.  But they are bossy when it comes to blocks and toys, so I stay away.  Depending on what they choose, I may not play directly with them. But I did create "Mommy's Helper" which is a nice way of saying "Chores with Mommy", today.  They'll be required to spend at least 30 minutes helping me each day.  It's not playing, but it's still quality time.

At the end of each day, before bedtime, they are rewarded with their tablets if they played in centers well, behaved, and at least tried all their food.  So far, we're a bit less crazy with centers.

Rant! (I Just HAD to get it Off My Chest)

I feel like ranting today, so rant I shall. On Tuesday mornings we usually go out, but I did not feeling like dealing with the crowd. Crowds give me anxiety, but "groups of mom" crowds completely overwhelm me. It,s a problem I willingly deal with most Tuesdays, because the boys get to leave the house and play with kids around their age. They need and love the socialization. But this week, I decided to skip it. A friend of mine and her son ended up popping by, so they didn't miss it too much. 

Is it just me or does anyone else have a hard time dealing with mom-crowds?  You'd think we'd have so much in common, and it would be so easy to get along. But instead it's similar to being under a microscope.  If your kid acts out, gets hurt, or draws attention to himself in any way all eyes are on you. And the looks: they range from judgment to sympathy. It's awful; I could do without either. I'm also 100% certain that they think I have a glandular problem, it will be 27F and I'll be sweating profusely the minute I step in the door. It's so much pressure, for no valid reason.   

Worse than the looks, is the conversation. It is SO painful. I can deal with small talk, I like small talk. I can ask about your top or compliment your child's cuteness, we can complain about the weather. I can't stand the mom conversations; you know, the ones with cute suggestions and snide remarks about parenting decisions? And they aren't like helpful, possible life saving tips like telling me they aren't buckled in properly or advising me not to feed a 2 month old a chicken finger. They aren't fun tips to help stop runny noses or to get them to keep socks on their feet. No, its completely useless, unnecessary judgment...

"People won't mistake him for a girl if you cut his hair.  I have a hair dresser I use for little Liam, and she works wonders. You won't even recognize your little guy!" Like why wouldn't I want to recognize my son? Also, people don't mistake him for a girl after I tell them he's a boy.  I can just correct them and move on.

"If you suggest something else for the little guy to do, instead of telling him to stop, he'll be more likely to behave. It's called redirection." I know what it's called. But saying "No, son! Stop! We dont hit!" works fine, too.
"I wish I were a mom like you. You just wear anything." Why, yes. Yes, I do. I have lost 3 mascaras, 2 eyeliners, and a foundation.  And I hold on to my one dark purple eyeliner for special occasions.  Full face is not even an option, at this point.  Not to mention, stretchy pants are life.
"Do you run a baby sitting service?" No, these are my kids. "But you're too young. You're far too young to have kids, let alone so many. Is the father around; do they even have the same father? You poor thing." How rude, judgemental, straight-forward, and nasty can you be in one statement?
"You know, if you pierce her ears, no one will mistake her for a boy." Because the big flamboyant headbands aren't a sure sign.
"There's no such thing as a baby that's just fussy. That's just an excuse." You're right, she probably yelling, because she wants you to get away from us. I think she senses your negative energy.

These are paraphrased quotes, from (obviously) better moms than me.  And I just did not feel like having clever(ish) rebuttals and escape routes prepared. Instead, we played with stickers, puzzles, and our friends today. We all remained in a good mood, and I don't think the boys missed our outting. 

Why can't moms just bond over dinner recipes, gently used clothing, and a hate for Caillou, like they do on television? 

Kitchen Creations: Sweet Potato Mash

I've taken on a lot of new projects this new year! Trying to get the boys in social settings more often, starting school, and I'm helping with a few things within the community.  Since I've got a lot more on my plate, I will only be blogging regularly Monday through Wednesday.  I'll probably still blog some on Thursday, Friday, and even some Saturday's; but I won't be blogging regularly on those days.

...

Since this year has begun, I have either been sick or on-the-go.  Some days I feel like I have to squeeze time in to make dinner! But luckily, I have quick(ish) and easy go-to recipes. Like last week, I made my sweet potato mash. We are the southern family that eats applesauce with our pork chops, but sometimes I want something more "dinner-y" than applesauce, so I make my sweet potato mash.
This recipe feeds 3-5, depending on how big of servings you eat.

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
3 cups of applesauce (sweetened or unsweetened)
Cinnamon to taste

Like 3 Pinches of Ginger
2 Crushed Peppermints (*optional)
Brown sugar to taste (*optional)

Instructions:
1. Clean & shank/stab the sweet potatoes 10 or 45 times. I really dont think it matters how many times you do it, just make sure it's a good bit.

I was lazy the other day, and microwaved my sweet potatoes for about 24 minutes (at 7-8 minute intervals). But I usually bake them about an hour at 400. You can also boil them.  Just cook the sweet potatoes, it doesn't matter how.

2. Peel the skin off. It is always easier for me to skin the potatoes when they are still warm, and have been cooked. But you can do this first, if you prefer.

3. Mash the sweet potatoes.

4. Add apple sauce, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar*, and peppermint*. Mix together.

5. Serve warm!

Makes a sweet, easy side with all the health benefits of the sweet potato.

Our Science Fair/ Exhibit

Thursday night we held a "science fair".  

I was preparing to blog about the incredible success it was, but my boys decided to act out, I mean they were horrible little monsters. So the science fair ended in early bedtime and no dessert.  It also ended in me not blogging anything at all.  I was so disappointed, I just laid down early too.  So here I am, on a Saturday, sharing my post for Thursday.    

The Science Fair idea was fun, and it would've made a pretty impressive show.  I just wish my boys wouldn't have picked that time to misbehave.  But instead of blogging about the actual Scince Fair  failure, I am going to share the photos of iour incredible Science Showcase.  

All day I worked making the centers, and they were interactive.  The point was to show Jeffrey all the thing the boys know, and to review with the boys.  But the centers are good tools to use to teach as well.

The boys worked less than an hour, they colored three activity sheets while answering questions, glued one activity, mixed brownie batter, and picked up sticks outside, The rest of the set-up was my hard work.  We had , and even though it did not go as planned.  I am still pretty proud of the showcase.  In a few months, I'll definitely hold another Science Fair...a more successful one.  

  Not shown is my "Chemical Reaction".  That was my grand finale. I had a sign on the stove that said "Witness a Chemical Reaction. "  There was a bowl with a little bit of brownie batter on the stove, and I was going to pull out a pan of baked brownies at the end, and talk about how the heat caused a delicious chemical reaction.  Then I was going to thank everyone (Jeffrey) for coming out, compliment the kids.  and we were going to eat brownies before dinner.  
Only in a dream world, did any of that happen.  Reality? By time the brownies were done our science fair had turned into a catastrophe, and I was already starting dinner.  

Our displays. 
Skyland & Azariah colored the sun, Earth, and moon.  While they colored they told me all the facts they knew which included specific and extremely general facts like "the blue is water" for Earth, and "the moon belongs to everybody."
I cut out their pictures, pasted them on a sheet of paper, and wrote out the facts.  The one on the left is Skyland's Fun Facts and the one on the right is Azariah's.  
I printed out pictures of humans and they glued them in order.  I called it "How Humans Grow". So original, right?  My favorite part of this entire activity was when Skyland referred to adults as "actual humans".  Because everyone knows you're not an actual human until you're an adult. 

I hand drew these pictures myself, one is land/air and the other is water.  They were supposed to put the animals in their habitat.  

Yes, I used toy dinosaurs and printed out sea animals.  I did not feel like finding their elephants, sharks, and horses.  

 This is a game: Sink or Swim.  Everyone predicts whether the object will sink to the bottom or float and "swim" on top.  We drop the item in the water, and see who predicted right, and who was wrong.  Whoever predicted the most right, wins. And there's a bonus round where you tell why an object floats or sinks.  We were going to use a bottle cap, feather, straw, toy bug, and a button.  
The boys have played this game twice before, and they love it! We use different objects every time. Unfortunately, we did not make it to this station at our science fair, but it was still a cool center. 

I called this Which Stick? 

Answer questions like which is the longest, thinnest, shortest, etc. 

It's science-y because they have to observe, think, and organize.  

I almost used rocks for this, but we couldn't find a variety of rocks.  

The three forms of water: solid, liquid, and vapor. 
Yes, that's a humidifier.  Cool mist, so the kids could put their hands in it.  
Yes, that's a wine glass.  It was clean and clear, so that's what I used.  
And the far left is a bowl of ice.  
I asked the kids which was coldest, and that's when the entire Science Fair went downhill.  

The Science Fair itself was not as fantastic as I imagined it being, but I did enjoy making the interactive centers.  And it was a decent showcase. 

Kitchen Creations: Mean Green Beans

Isn't my name catchy? It rhymes.  And I am pretty pleased with it. 

Anyhow, green beans are one of my favorite vegetables, and one of the few vegetables I can get Jeffrey to eat.  So we eat them pretty often.  And I wanted to share my no-fail (unhealthy) green bean recipe, since I get a good bit of compliments on them.  

Ya'll, I try to eat healthy and feed my family healthy food.  But I cook often with butter and salt, and that's like the very definition of unhealthy.  A salted green bean is still a green bean, so the good and bad cancel each other, right? (Well, that's what I tell myself.) 

Here's how I make my mean green beans! 

Ingredients: 

Everything is measured to-taste.  

1. Canned green beans (If you use fresh or frozen, you have to up the cooking time.)

2. Butter (I use 1/2 stick to a whole stick.) 

3. Garlic powder 

4. Onion powder 

5. Pepper 

6. Salt 

7. Hot Sauce 

8. Chicken Boilloin Cubes (I use one cube per can) 

9. A few tablespoons of vinegar 

10. Seasoning Salt 

Directions: 

1. Rinse and drain the green beans.

2. Throw all the ingredients into a skillet.  

3. Cook on medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, the green beans will be a darker shade of green when they are done cooking,  

I Gave Up as a Parent Today, &That's Okay

You may be expecting a long explanation with three to five somewhat decent points on why it's okay to just quit "parenting" for the day.  I'm not going to sit here and feed you unproven points that seem to make sense like "it teaches your kids independence" or "it's a better alternative to discipine". Although, they sound good and they are things that I tell myself, they are not the reason why I gave up today.  

I don't know if it's because of the weather or because Mercury is in retrograde, but my boys have been wrecking my nerves all day.  All. Day.  Discipline, rewards, discipline alternatives, separation, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement... you name it, I have tried it. And nothing was working today.  I got frustrated, tired, and a bit upset.  So I gave up!

I pulled Noelle to the side, and she played with me or in the corner by herself, I turned the televison up, and I let the boys run wild all afternoon.  They fought, yelled, screamed, ran, played from 12:30pm to 5pm, and they fought with no interference or refereeing from me.  I could see them, so I knew they weren't killing each other, but that's as far as I went.  (I  know a few parents that would put their kids in the room, close the bedroom door, and check on them occasionally.. I can't say I didn't consider doing that a few times.)

Why was it okay for me to let them hash it out?  I will tell you my one good reason for tuning out: they weren't going to listen.  I had been fussing and disciplining since 8am, but they were not even pretending to listen. So for my sanity, I sat back and let them get all that negative energy out.  They howled, yelled, whined, screamed, and cried for a little over 2 hours. (Yes, they hit and pushed a little too.) But afterwards, they were calm. They were still loud, but they were still.  And only one room of the house was destroyed.  

I do not feel bad for allowing them to run around like two crazy ferile beings.  I actually feel pretty good about it!  While ignoring them, I watched TV, journaled, talked and played with Noelle.  I had a whole lot of background noise, but not too much stress.  Instead of doing something useless like wasting my time trying to stop a hurricane, I just prepared for it, and endured it.

Easy Pen Craft

For Christmas, we mailed these adorable pens to our out-of-town family and friends.  

I used to be a server, so I am cursed into being a pen toting, pen collecting, don't-throw-that-pen-away freak.  Naturally, I thought these were just the most perfect little useful gifts ever. 

They were also cheap to mail, inexpensive to buy, and quick to make.  Not to mention, they came out super adorable and personal.  Well, I loved them so much that I wanted one or four for myself.  So today we made more cute pens for me...and Daddy. 

They're color coded.  

The blue print is Skyland. 

The green print is Azariah. 

The yellow print is Noelle.  (Yes, even my seven month old joined in on this one!)

And I wanted my pens to be a bit more special than the ones I sent out, so the red print is me.

All you need is pens and paint. I got a pack of  ten white ballpoint pens from Dollar Tree, and they work perfectly for this project.
I'm sure you can tell how to do this just by looking at the pictures, but I'm going to briefly explain it anyway. 

One child at a time, I dipped a finger in a very small, way-less-than-a-pea-sized bit of paint, and let them touch all the pens.  (Being careful not to let the prints overlap too much! )

Then, I put the pens up to dry for a few hours, and that was it. 

Including set up and clean up, the activitity took less than 5 minutes.

I was pleased to have a small surprise for Jeffrey when he got home, and even happier to add some keepsake, sentimental pens to my collection. 

Besides, who doesn't need pens?! Especially when they've got the cutest prints on them.  

Activities for Babies

Since you stuck with me for 2 days while I talked about potatoes, I am doing a Friday post this week, and it features my beautiful baby girl!

I post a decent amount of activities that I do with my preschoolers.  But I don't really talk about the things I do with Noelle, my seven month old.  I have been playing with her all day since I am feeling better, so I thought I'd share our usual activities.
Keep in mind she's 7 months, so there are no crafts.  She's still at that stage when everything goes straight to her mouth. Also, her attention span is short, so our activities with her last 3 to 10 minutes.
1. We Sing Together 
I sing lyrics and she kinda just "aaaaaaaah"s! It's super cute, and she is the only person that enjoys my singing.  I bought the kids some echo microphones and jingling instruments, and we have impromptu concerts at-will. So it's definitely one of my favorite things to do with all the kids.
2. I Read/Tell Stories 
Sometimes I sit with all three to read stories, sometimes it's one at a time, and other times I read to whoever is paying attention.  When Noelle seems to be listening, I make sure to move my hand and change my voice to keep her interested.
3. We Talk & Clap
Noelle is a little girl that loves to talk.  She is goofy and funny, and we have conversations all day long.  She often claps mid-conversation; so we talk, giggle, and clap. And we giggle, clap, and talk.  It seems to be getting us somewhere, because after almost 3 months of prying, she is finally starting to say "ma ma"! (Of course, this is after she's perfected hey, Dadda, and Bruhba(brother))
4. We do Shadow Play
I'm convinced my child thinks that a shadow is some other person playing with her.  But she looks for them and likes playing with them.  So sometimes we are all just sitting on the bed casting shadows on the wall, while Noelle attempts to headbutt them all. Hey, nobody's perfect.
5. We Dance 
We wiggle, bounce, and shake.  She pulls up on stuff, so she loves doing her baby butt bounce. Give the child a beat, and she will move to it. The girl has been blessed with the rhythm that has skipped her entire immediate family. 
6. We Poke & Tickle Her
I have a "pokey stick".  It's a finger pointer that I got from- you guessed it-  Dollar Tree.  I poke my children (gently) in the belly with it! They all love it, but Noelle loves it the most! And then there's old fashioned tickling that drives them all insane! 
7. I Play with Her "Through Her Eyes" 
This one is more fun for me, because you kind of get to see things the way babies do.  But I get down on her eye level and mimic her, and it helps me understand her just a little bit.  She gets a good kick out of being copied.  And it's a really fun way for us to bond.
8. We Bathe 
I put that baby in the tub with me sometimes.  We splash, grab bubbles, and play with toys. And she has learned to trust and explore more.  She used to sit in my lap and cling on to me.  Now she'll crawl through the water, throw toys,and even try to pull herself up on the edge of the tub.   A bonus of this, we smell good afterwards.
9. We Play "Keep Away" 
It's funny, until she gets mad.
10. We Play "Peek-A-Boo"
A game as old as time, but she freaks out! So it's a staple game that we all play with her.
11. They Play Wrestle 
This is more how Jeffrey plays with her.  But she enjoys it.  He gently flips her, picks her up, pushes her over, playfully hits her belly, and blows in her face.  She kicks and smacks him in the face.  And she giggles.  Oh my goodness, she does not stop laughing the entire time.  And playing with Daddy tires my tough girl out pretty fast
12. We Play Her Games 
Her games suck, but she enjoys them the most.  I put her down and she pulls down plants, squeals like a wild banshee, chases the broom, and looks for the tiniest piece of anything to try and stick in her mouth.  She also crawls into any space that she should not be in, and knocks anything she can reach off of the table.  To put it simply: she makes a big mess.  Her games never end, and they can be quite nerve wrecking.  But I have no choice but to play with her, and I can't help but laugh with her (sometimes). 

These are most of our main activities, but we do bond with her in other ways. Like we eat snacks together, take strolls, play with toys, encourage her to walk, etc.  What are some things that you all do with your babies?

Home Remedy: Potato Socks

Yes, I edited and reused a blog graphic,  (I got lazy!)
Now that that is out of the way. last night 3 out of 4 of us kept our potato socks on.  Noelle took them off sometime in the middle of the night, she does not like anything on her feet.

But Skyland, Azariah, and I kept our socks on until 10am.  I took pictures of the socks, and they just looked disgusting, so I refuese to post or describe them!
Noelle never had a fever.  But she still has a runny nose and a little cough.  

The boys woke up just fine.  No fever, runny noses, sneezes, or "icky" feelings.  They were actually on "go".  They have not stopped all day, and their appetite has returned! 

I woke up in a pool of sweat (ew) with no fever and no runny nose.  My cough, sore throat, and tight chest have stuck with me though,  I am a lot more sick than them, so I didn't expect to be magically "cured" from my cold, but I am pleased that a few of my symptoms are gone. And I'm estatic that all of  my boys' symptoms have dissappeared!

After removing the socks, I did not give the kids any medicine.  As of now (6:30pm), they have not had any symptoms return.  My conclusion: the potato socks help, especially with fevers! 

Next time we are sick, we may just become a human casserole and walk around with potatoes AND onions in our socks.
I'm going to slice some more up for me tonight.  I pray that I have not ruined onioms or potatoes for anyone!

Sock Potato Experiment

Hello! I still am not feeling to fresh today, but I think I am getting better.  I posted once about a  home remedy I use which involves sleeping with onions in your socks.  Well, I am out of onions and this mom is definitely not going out to get them! (Niether is Dad)

So in a moment of desperation, and with the much-appreciated help of Google I found a potato remedy.

Slice a potato and put it in your socks.  My children and I are currently sporting these "potato socks". And I will probably post an update tomorrow, letting you know whether or not they work.

I'm really hoping they help, because 1. I'm tired of being all groggy.  And 2. I will no longer have to hear Jeffrey complain about us smelling like an onion casserole every single time we feel under the weather.

So I am keeping my fingers crossed.  Even if it has a placebo effect, that is good enough for me! 

Cold "Tonics"

I'm still trying to keep my spirits bright, but it is extremely difficult today! My head is pounding, my chest is tight, my body is weary and achy and my throat is irritated. I have a runny nose, a cough, and no voice.
But I've been managing with some Dayquil and my "cold tonics".  

I don't know if these drinks already exist, but these two warm cocktails have given me the little energy that I have had today!
1. "Apples & Ginger"
Filled a glass 2/3 full with apple juice, sprinkled a piece of a pinch of cinnamon, a half of a capful of lemon juice, and about 1/4 of a crushed up peppermint. Heated it in the microwave & then filled the rest of the glass with room temperature ginger ale. 
This seriously taste like something only a sick person would drink.  It does not taste bad, it just tastes like something mommy would give you.  The concotion soothed my throat and it suppressed the cough for a little bit.
2. "Hot Tea with a Twist"
Nothing like hot tea to help me feel a little better! A cup of hot green and chamomile tea with a capfull of lemon juice (I used Hard Lemonade), a sprinkle of cinnamon, some sugar, honey, and some crushed peppermint. 
3. Warm orange juice with crushed up peppermint. 

Seriously, it's wonderful!

Just the other week I was craving peppermint, and this week I need it.  I think I am going to spend the rest of the evening bundled up.  

New Year's Resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! 

I hope your holidays were filled with joy, and that you can carry that spirit throughout the year! 

I'm so excited to be doing my first post of 2017! It is a new year and a fresh new begininning! I'm starting my new beginning with a bit of a head cold, but I am trying not to let that bring me down.
This year I hear a lot of people rejecting the idea of resolutions.  I've even seen articles about why they are useless. I also see a lot of rejection of the "new year, new me" phrase, but it doesn't hurt anything. I say let people do whatever makes them feel good.  And I am a "new year, new me", resolution making freak!
I find resolutions fun and useful. Maybe because I don't base them off of goals, but things that I want to complete or things I want done, versus the things that "need" to be done.  Like I probably need to excersize regularly (many of us probably do!), but I really don't want to,  I do want to ride horses though.  So going horseback riding often is a goal for me this year, not excersizing regularly.  This year I am axing life consuming resolutions from my list, like "learning Spanish" for an example.  It is something I really want to do, but it's also something that takes dedication.  I am already spread pretty thin, and I know I can't make a commitment to it, so I am not going to give my self the false hope that it'll get done.  (I'm sure I'll learn a few extra spanish words and phrases in my free time.)
Yes, you can make resolutions at any point or any time.  There is no super valid reasoning behind why you should wait until the New Year to work towards resolutions. But a new year gives me the feeling of a new beginning, the same way a good hair cut and style does.  That's why I choose that time to select and work towards changes that I want,  It's also just a fun tradition for me!
2014's and 2015's resolutions were all accomplished, 2016's were mostly accomplished.  I would say all, but I did not learn Spanish nor did I eat healthier (oops!).  So here are 2017's resolutions!

1. Give back to the community; put good in constantly
2. Go back to college
3. Take Vacations & Family Day Trips
4.  Support Jeffrey's Resolutions
5. Organize Toys into Centers and Have Kids Play in Them
6. Visit Nursing Home Regularly
7. More playdates
8. Put Noelle in her OWN bed.
9. Wake Up Earlier
10. Go Horseback Riding a Good Bit!
11. Limit Social Media Time
12. (Last BUT most importantly) Grow in my Faith.

Do any of my readers write resolutions? If so, what are the "goals" for 2017?