The older girls, and a friend, helped me make sidewalk paint today.
We mixed 1/3 cup cornstarch with 1/3 cup water to get the base for 9 colors. Added food coloring, stirred and voila–sidewalk paint.
Mixing in color 1
Mixing in color 2
Sue singing
Using our creation
A few minutes of fun in the sun
Posted in special projects
I mentioned in my therapy appointment yesterday that today marked 8 years since my dad died. The doctor asked what I was going to do to mark the anniversary. I have to admit, I wasn’t prepared to answer that question. Typically, I’m sad and then mad at my husband because he doesn’t read my mind and comfort me.
Some years I have driven to the grave, but that is impossible this year. The doctor then asked who I could talk to who would share similar memories, so later I will be calling my older sister. We started sharing memories yesterday via facebook and I am looking forward to hearing some of her thoughts on dad. I have more memories from growing up, but she has more of the last years of his life. He walked her down the aisle at her wedding and met all three of her kids. He died 4 months before I got married and never met any of my girls.
But one big way I am marking today? I found a cake recipe on pinterest that is similar to what I used to bake for him, complete with a frosting recipe identical to the one I used.
A Cake in Memory of my Daddy
Happy Anniversary in Heaven Daddy. We miss you!
*The cake isn’t pretty, I almost didn’t post it, but hey Patrice left her mark on it and my daddy wouldn’t have cared he would have dug in. I rarely make cakes, but I think I am going to make this a tradition.
Enjoying daddy’s cake with my family
Posted in daddy, memories, special occassions, special projects, Uncategorized
My hubby knocked a few things off his honey-do list this weekend.
One project had me nervous. I knew he would need my help and I was afraid it would be too difficult, but I always forget how multi-talented my hubby is.
We reupholstered our kitchen chairs in a couple hours.
We go it done and had some fun along the way. And we got done in plenty of time for me to take the older girls to see the movie Brave. We loved it. There was lots of action and the princess was a spitfire with lots of energy and strength. I wouldn’t mind my girls falling in love with that princess. She’s a fun, curly-haired red head girl!
What projects have you done lately? Have you seen a show or movie where you wouldn’t mind your children getting a little obsessed?
Posted in special projects
I was thinking yesterday how it would be fun to make donuts, so I headed to
And found this recipe
Flatten biscuits some, use cookie cutter or emtpy babyfood jar to cut center out, fry in oil, dip in melted butter, coat with mix or frost and decorate top side. You could skip the butter if using frosting. We used cookie decorations so you taste a lot of the biscuit. Next time we will frost them.
Posted in special projects, Try Something New
I cannot wait to share this with you. It is one of the first things I pinned on pinterest and last night hubby and I made them!
We used watercolor paints and paper. Wet paper before applying paint. Hubby painted each toe different but you could do all one color. Put feet, one at a time, on the paper so they are facing out from each other to make the wings, paint in body, head and antenae. Write in child’s name and year, frame. Please note you will need two people to do a young toddler, Patrice cried as the paintbrush tickled her feet; she kept kicking hubby so I had to hold one foot back.
My heart is absolutely bursting at the joy of having these.
Posted in kidlets, photos, pinterest, special projects
A few weeks ago I saw this, or if you’re not on Pinterest, this, and decided I had to try it. But, contrary to what the instructions said, I figured it was pretty messy. So it took a while to get my courage up…
We pinned it and did it!
Rainbow RiceTake 1 cup of white rice.Mix food coloring in a small bowl with 1-2 Tablespoons of white vinegarDump vinegar and food coloring mixture into plastic bag with rice. Seal and shake.
And shake some more!
Until it is all coated with the color
Pick the prettiest...colors
Then lay it out to dry in wax paper lined dishes
Next up? Enjoy! I can’t wait until the girls get to play with it and enjoy the bright colors. It is our Saint Patrick’s Day Rainbow Rice!
Posted in kidlets, pinterest, special projects
I grew up in a rural area. There was no place for people to be begging. I was in my 30s before I saw my first beggar. I was out for a girls’ night when I was several months pregnant with Sue. The group of us had gone to dinner and were walking around the city area. Everybody decided to get some ice cream. I didn’t really want any, but I got a small dish. Baby said there was no room for it. So I started to throw it away. I had taken 1-2 bites. A guy, grabbed it as it fell and said “can I have it?” I stuttered yes and was changed forever.
I have always been a giver when it comes to food drives, toy drives, book drives. You name it. I grew up very poor. We benefited from people’s generosity more than once. But the ice cream experience was different. How do I get truly involved now?
Hubby and I talked about it more than once. I wish for anything I could go back to that night and take the guy to get a real meal rather than eating my leftovers. I’ve known since that day our family would be getting involved. We just had to wait a bit for the girls to get old enough.
I volunteered at Gleaners Food Bank right before Christmas for a few hours through work. I talked to the volunteer coordinator and found ot my girls were now old enough. She has worked with kids as young as 20 months!
This last week we made up fliers for the neighborhood asking for food donations to take with us. The girls were thrilled to find a few bags for us to take.
Yesterday we loaded them up and off we went.
Miss Sarah taught us that food insecurity affects 1 in 5 people. And that the people aren’t all on the street. They can look just like us. Last year Gleaners distributed 40,000 million pounds of food to food banks, schools, senior centers, soup kitchens.
The 943 bags we packed will go to kids throughout the metro area who are food insecure. The box of cereal, cans of veggies, fruit and ravioli will go home with them so they can eat when school isn’t in session.
If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity contact Sarah Blight at sblight@gcfb.org at the Gleaners Oakland Distribution Center.
Sue really loved her job!
Link up with Thrifty Ninja!
I found a cute giraffe craft on Pinterest a few weeks ago. We started it then, but ran out of tme after painting the paper towel rolls.
Yesterday gave us some time to finish. You’ll notice I started with one child and ended with another. Sue was sick yesterday so didn’t last long even when she begged for a craft. Caitlyn was very happy and excited when she came home from school after being out a few days, so she and I did her giraffe.
You can find the instructions for this craft here
I am linking up with Sarah today for Pinned it and Did it!
Posted in Caitlyn, pinterest, special projects, Sue, Try Something New
A couple weeks ago I found a recipe for Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches. I bought the simple list of ingredients and then couldn’t find it again when I unexpectedly had time to make it…so I did a google search and landed two places. First was All Recipes. It looked okay, but I knew it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Two links down I found a fantastic blog with just what I wanted at Is This Really My Life.
But we are not spicy food eaters so I wanted to calm it down a little further. It turned out perfect.
*Please forgive the lack of pictures.
Put all but the sub rolls in the crockpot. Cook on high for 1 hour, on low for 4 hours, shred chicken, return to crockpot for 2 hours.
Serve on rolls, add cheese, ranch or bleu cheese dressing (if desired–we did not).
The above had just the right kick to it for us, but if you like a decent amount of spicy, you will want to up the Hot Sauce as desired up to the full 12 ounce bottle.
We ate it the second day over macaroni and cheese, we have small kids, what can I say, most everything ends up over macaroni and cheese. It was a great addition to the cheesy noodles. I am shocked at how little there is left now, even with the girls refusing to eat it.
“It smells good, but doesn’t taste good,” was Caitlyn’s appraisal. But as you know, 4 and 5 year olds are horrible judges of culinary delight.
And since there are no pictures of food, here is at least a couple cute baby pictures in the kitchen…that fits, right?
Linking up with Energizer mommy for In the Kitchen Mondays.
Posted in pinterest, special projects
linking up with Kimberly for Secret Mommyhood Confessions
I love having my girls.
Really, I do.
I do not enjoy playing with my kids. The thought of playing Candyland or dolls with them, at least at this age, fills me with dread.
So what is a mom to do? Well, there is letting your kids play computer games or watch too much TV, but that brings guilt after awhile.
Other days I do craft projects with them. It’s a win-win. I don’t have to play with them but we get to do things together and I get to feel like a good mom.
See, win-win.
This weekend Caitlyn and I worked on her Valentine’s for school.
Posted in blog hops, Caitlyn, Mommyhood Confessions, special projects
