What Works for me Wednesday!

Summer time is such a great time to be outside with your little ones. The boys love nothing more than getting outdoors, getting dirty and sweaty and playing hard. Though finding activites to keep them busy is somewhat difficult. I recently bought the book "The Kids Nature Book" by Susan Milford that has activites to do with your children that promotes nature and learning. I found this neat idea and after nap we made up some binoculars and went exploring. Really easy and lots of fun for my little explorers!

Materials:
toilet paper rolls (without the toilet paper-ha)
Duct tape
hole punchers
yarn
Stickers
markers
any other craft items you have on hand

Directions: Take two toilet paper rolls and duct tape them together to form binoculars. Punch a hole in each side and tie the yarn on. Then let the kids decorate them with anything they want.

THEN~get outside and get exploring. We looked for bugs, examined flowers, checked out our dead grass (MI needs rain) and took a look down the sewer drain. Fun stuff!

An old Apache storyteller reminds us:“The plants, rocks, fire, water, all are alive. They watch us and see our needs. They see when we have nothing to protect us, and it is then that they reveal themselves and speak to us."

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My current need!

This book is not in my collection yet, but it will be soon. Whether I win it from the giveaway that Simple Mom is doing or whether I buy it. I MUST have it. I NEED it! So head on over to one of the coolest sites ever: http://www.simplemom.net/ and enter right away!

Warning- if you are chosen for the book, you will no longer be my friend! (just kidding) Good luck!

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North Lake Dock

We hear the wind blow,

We hear the leaves rustle,

We hear the water sway,

All of the sounds that we hear...

Are nature at play!

As I sit here in the sun

I could almost drift to sleep.

It's so quiet, warm and peaceful.

I wish this feeling I could keep.

From the simplicity of earth

I relax completely

For the view is far too beautiful

Forever in this place I long to be

A sight of complete tranquility,

Of lazy clouds adrift on blue,

Of smiling water shawdows, swaying,

As if there's nothing else to do.

You'd think the whole world was at rest,

From the ripple of a thrown rock.

To the flight of a butterfly

And the view from North Lake Dock

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When all else fails...

Under the summer sun and sweaty mosquito heat, when the bikes have lost their fun and the sidewalk chalk is literally melting on the cement. When the scooters cause too much work and their bellies are full of frozen treats....what do you do?

Bike Wash!!!!

Break out the water hose, sudsy soap and as many brushes as you can find in the garage.

Cures the summer time blues INSTANTLY!

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Firefighter Fun

Preschool Summer Camp + Safety week = loads of fun! It all began when the firetruck and police car pulled in the park. The boys went ballistic! Complete mayhem from all 40 kiddies from just a big red truck and a blue car with lights on its roof. We learned all about safety and did all sorts of crafts related to the subject as well. It was really neat to have the boys learn what to do in case of emergencies or fire. I was VERY impressed with the firefighter when he was in full uniform. He turned on his air supply and was trying to talk to the kids. It was hard to hear him and the kids were yelling back at him. He began to yell and asked the kids if they could hear him now. It was still hard but the kids liked his game and yelled back and he told the kids to always yell for him. He then told the kids to never be afraid of him. That if they are ever in a fire, to wait for him and when they see him to yell and to come to him and to grab onto him tightly and that he will protect them. It made me tear up. To think about my little ones ever being in that situation but to know that someone will be there to grab a hold of them and protect them when I can't made me extremly grateful. There was also lots of 911 talk, so much that I'm afraid that the boys will get ahold of the phone and dial it just to dial. So neighbor Sarah- if your reading and the firetrucks show up- it was just the boys dialing 911 (lol). Boys will be boys especially when they are playing firefighter!

Do you know what to do in a fire

Yes, I know what to do;

We've rehearsed it through and through,

Have you planned your escape in a fire

Yes, we've planned our escape;

We know just what routes to take,

Do you know you should crawl through the smoke

Yes, we'll crawl and stay close to the floor

'cause there's air there all the more,

Do you know what to do if your clothes catch on fire?

Yes, Stop, drop, cover and roll

That's what the firefighter told

The big red fire truck rushes down the street.

"Clang clang clang" goes the bell

The cars move to clear the way.

The children run and yell.

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Super cool cookies

Every now and again, I stumble upon a blog that I love. There are a few that I read daily. One of them being this one: hhtp://www.littlemommaandcompany.blogspot.com/. This girl is my new buddy from Texas! I laugh at the pictures, and adore the similarities of her little boys to mine. I also can't help but love the recipes and fun crafts she does too. So- that being said, I stole her cookie recipe (sorry girl, but it looked sooo cool) and the boys and I tried it out today. All I have to say is "LOVIN' IT"!!! The boys always help me in the kitchen, but today was esepcially fun since they were able to really help me squish the balls of dough together and make snakes (since that is what they do with playdough). How appropriate that Little Momma calls this recipe "Playdough cookies" but I refer to them as "Tye-Dye cookies" or as the boys like to call them "Superman Cookies" (since they sort of look like superman ice-cream). You can call them anything you like, but they are super fun to make and super yummy. Maybe they should be called "Superman Cookies"?! Thanks Emily for sharing your fun world with me and reminding that I'm not alone in the world with a house full of boys.

Playdough Cookies (AKA: Superman Cookies)

3/4 C butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 and 3/4 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
assorted food coloring (gel or paste works best)





1. In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth.


2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into Fourths. Tint each with a different food coloring. Wrap in plastic and chill for two hours. (I stuck it in the freezer for 15 minutes because I hate to wait!)


3. Preheat oven to 350. Shape colors into 3/4 inch balls. For each cookie place one pink/red, one orange/yellow, one green, and one blue ball together and roll to make one giant ball. Roll into a 12 inch long snake, and then starting at one end coil roll to make a cookie. Place cookies 2 to 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet to allow for spreading.


4. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container.Enjoy!

Dough after color was added

Once chilled, roll into little balls like this, then roll this into a bigger ball

Ready for the oven

Yummy sucess ready to be gobbled up!

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Only 100 and some odd days....

Thats right....only 102 days left till the greatest day of the year. Better than birthdays, better than anniversaries, and yes....in my book...better than Christmas. Halloween is my utmost favorite time of year. I get giddy just thinking about the smell of the fall air musty with dried spices. Kicking leaves, pumpkins, apples and the list can go on and on forever.

It is now the time of year that I begin deciding on what costume I will make the boys. I have made it a tradition or personal feat to hand sew the boys costumes (at least till they don't want me to do it anymore). The minute the boys have received their last treat on Halloween, I'm already thinking on what they will be next year. I'm plain addicted! So- here I am, planning away. I am keeping the costumes a surprise but before I start sewing their costumes, here is a little peek at what I will be making first. Happy haunting ( everyone, everyday!)

A little blast from the past:

Jonas the Dino

Zaiden the Bear and Jonas the Elephant

My Patriots!

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Movie Review

I have been in love with Jack Black since...oh.....ever! What I wouldn't give to hang out with him for an afternoon. I really don't know if my stomach muscles (or lack of them) would survive the laughing! I think I first saw him in "School of Rock" and laughed my patootie off. He is soo hilarious. I simply love his humor and love watching him. Every movie he makes, makes me laugh till my belly hurts (even that weird one where he was a monk- still funny!) So, again I was not disapointed when I saw "Be Kind, Rewind" this weekend. Hubby smirked a few times while telling me to hush, while I on the other hand had my hand over my mouth trying hard to mute my laughter as to not wake up the slumbering boys. I won't go into detail of the movie so I don't ruin it for you, but you MUST see this movie (as long as you are a comedy fan and love to laugh and are old enough to remember Ghost Busters!!) I love you Jack Black and thanks for making me laugh so hard that I almost peed my pants. Its been a while!

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Summer reality

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"

John F. Kennedy

On any given afternoon, this is what you will see at the end of the driveway. Add in a ride on 4-wheeler, a race car, a doll stroller, more bike helmets, sidewalk chalk strewn about everywhere, and half eaten popsicles melted and leaking onto the cement. Oh the joys of summer time!!

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What Works for me Wednesday!

Garden needed to be weeded....

Done!

Hubby gone & grass needed to be mowed....

Done!

Mommy needed to sit in the shade for a while....

Done!

For those of you that need to get outside projects done, but are affriad because of the kids running around...well look no further than your local grocery store and pick up a BOX (or 2 or 10) of Fla-vor-ice. Sit the kids in the shade in their favorite outside chairs and keep the pops coming. Mine can even get them open by themselves. Box of Fla-vor-ice=$3, camping chairs for the boys=$5, getting all my outside projects done in one afternoon= PRICELESS!!!!!!

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I found my thrill....

On Blueberry Hill!

My neighbor and her sweet daughter joined us blueberry picking at Erie Orchards. What a "thrill"! Bug bites and hot sun but the sweet joy of popping the bluest of blue, fresh picked, juicy blueberry in your mouth was worth every minute. I rushed home and made some of the yummiest blueberry buckle ever. Its so wonderful with fresh picked blueberries.

Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,

Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum

In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!

And all ripe together, not some of them green

And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!

~Robert Frost

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Bragging rights

Just a little post to brag.....My garden ROCKS! We have been blessed with plenty of rain and sunshine and the plants are loving it. My watermelon look like little golf balls. The pumpkin has blooms all over them. I have already picked banana and jalapeno peppers, broccoli, and some zucchini. Everything is coming full force. I can't wait for the harvest. Here are a few pics. More to come for sure!!

My Garden

Broccoli

Eggplant

Tomatoes

Zucchini

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How Yankee are you???

You guys all say I'm a yankee so I took a test and and the survey says......

34% (Yankee). A definitive Yankee.

Pop is Pop and Tp'ing was the best thing to do on a friday night when I was a teen. Take the test to see how "Yankee or Dixie" you are. Its pretty entertaining!

click here for the test: http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/yankee_dixie_quiz.html

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Puppy Love

J and E climbing in the tree

P L A Y I N G

First comes puppy love

Then comes back rubs

Then its bed time after a bath time scrub!

The wonderous joys of watching love and friendship at its most innocence state!

"They run, they frolic, they haven’t a care, it’s these precious moments we all want to share. Enjoy the day, relish the laughter, make it last, for here ever after"

Dionne Blodgett

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