opps

Today was not my day. 


I drove 25 minutes to get Carson's picture taken (I had not had it done since he was 4 days old!!) and I forgot his clothes. I called Michael and I was so frustrated...he swears I was about to cry from my tine on the phone, but it was not that bad...and he tends to exaggerate when it comes to stories about me anyway.  I would have had to wait another hour if I wanted to go buy something and come back and I just didn't have the time or patience for that and I have no time to come back another day (at least without all the other kiddos in tow) so I went for it. And ya know what...they were great! They were natural (he tried to climb on EVERYTHING!) and they were cute. I could have bought all of them...he is such a great smiley baby that none were bad! BUT, I restrained myself and just got the $9.95 package plus 2 single sheets. Here is what I got. The black and white portrait I couldn't get without a glare.

A Healthy Afternoon Snack

I love to bake and I love to try new recipes and my girls love it too! So yesterday, we made Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Mini Muffins for our after school snack this week. They turned out delicious so I am going to share the recipe. As you can see the girls and I added a chocolate chip to each muffin to as an extra treat!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (you can use applesauce to make even healthier)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease or line two 12 cup muffin tins or two 24 cup mini muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar and oil. Add the cocoa, vanilla, zucchini and stir well.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Mix until just moist.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes for full size muffins or 12-15 minutes for mini muffins. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Store loosely covered

I dont wanna grow up

Or at least I don't want my kids to grow up sometimes. I have been telling Logan he can't get any bigger. The other day he told me he promises me he won't get any older than 10 since I don't want him to grow up. Tonight I had a teary moment with him. In fact, I am tearing as I write this. For all the frustration we have gone through we are finally seeing progress. I told him tonight how proud I was watching him play soccer for the first time (even though it was just a scrimmage), on the big field. I remember when he first started and he would run around on the field with no concept if where the ball was and he would hit kids and it was just so nerve wracking for me...In fact, I HATED watching him play. Tonight he ran after the ball and hustled and was just so much more mature. No, he is not the best player, but he is enjoying it and I am so pleased to watch him now.


And I told him tonight that I am proud of the choices he is making. That he is learning to ask permission before doing things he is not sure about. He asked me tonight if he could put gel in his hair tomorrow for school to impress Mrs. Kidd. Then he said, when he got his hair cut last week and the lady asked if he wanted gel he said no because he wasn't sure he was allowed. Although tonight he did tell me, "I did something that I know you are not going to like. I sprayed your jewelry box with perfume. I'm sorry and I won't do it again....can I wear perfume?" And that is a another whole conversation...

Anyway, as I watch him at the bustop and playing with friends after school and doing chores...I am so happy with how he is maturing and growing up. Do I want my baby to get older? No, not really, I am LOVING 7 so far!! Yes, I know we will have our struggles...but we are learning and growing together and I couldn't be prouder!!  
I love you Logan!!

The weekend review

We spent Saturday swimming in Grammie's pool.

My little water bug

Logan and Melina spent 5 hours straight in the pool...they really don't enjoy swimming! 

Then on Sunday we went to the Indians Game.

Meeka enjoyed the food the most.

Melina really got into it and was telling the players to get a homerun as they warmed up. (You can see the player in front of her warming up)

And Logan sat mesmerized for the entire game!

WHAT A FUN AND RELAXING WEEKEND!!

Toothless wonder

The 3rd day of school was very eventful...

Logan pulled out both front teeth!! 

I guess the tooth fairy is coming tonight.

Do you think he gives extra for 2 at once? 

I sure hope he doesn't expect the Pinkalicious version of Toothetina.

I really like the toothless look! It suits him well! 

Happy Back to school!!   

1st day of school

It is over...the first day of school has come and gone and it all went well...i guess. Logan came home, had a snack, did his chore and was out the door to play with friends. All I got was, "I stood on top of the monkey bars with no hands and my teacher took a picture. We are going to get a treat bag at the end of school if we have a summer birthday. I told the class my name and that I went to a water park and had a pirate party this summer. And I learned the gym rules. And my teacher is awesome." So I guess I equate that to first day success.

Meanwhile, while Logan was at school the younger crew and I went to the Arboretum to see the butterfly house before it closes next week. All 3 really loved it!! And Melina and I made a special first day of school treat that they had as snack this afternoon.

Homemade waffles for Breakfast on the first day.

My BIG 1st grader!

Getting on the Bus at 7:07 am!!

Melina cut the bananas herself

Then we dipped them in chocolate and sprinkles.

And then we froze them!

And of course ATE them for snack! YUM!!

Are they not the cutest things!!

The butterflies were beautiful and it was fun to see so many up close.

The First Day

Last night we went into the school for the first time to meet Logan's first grade teacher and make sure he knew his way around the school. No more big school bus name tags tied around the neck with yarn for the first 2 weeks and teachers greeting them at the bus to help them find their way to the classroom. Now is the big league...they must do it all on their own! How exciting, yet how nerve-racking!! We took Logan by himself last night so he could concentrate and so he had some special time with us before starting school. After meeting his teacher we took him out for Hibachi, which he loved! He had his first sushi last night and of course enjoyed the fire and fun that comes with Hibachi! And I enjoyed spending time with my big boy. Who is growing up before my eyes. I have not cried at all until this second, writing this I am finding tears well up in my eyes....

I usually don't pay any attention to what "they" say, but when "they" say, "Cherish every moment; it goes quick." "They" know what their talking about!! It is going to be one crazy year!!! I am so glad that things are starting off slowly and we are easing into everything. Gets this momma geared up and the chance to get organized. (A separate post coming with my obsessive charts, etc.)

Here are a couple of pictures from the past 15 hours. I unfortunately was so caught up in what was going on last night at school I did not get a picture of Logan in his classroom. I am sure I will have the chance to get many this year though.

Logan made this vase yesterday to take to his teacher! He did an awesome job!!!

FIRE!!

Intently watching the fire!!

A mouthful of sushi!

And finished off with Green Tea Ice Cream!!

The last Horrah!

 The day before school has arrived...what to do, what to do, for the last day of summer?      Go get ice cream of course!!! But not just any ice cream....we went to the dairy to get FRESH ice cream!! What better than that for a summer day?? And of course it helped that they are super kid friendly! We even got a tractor and wagon ride, which the kids LOVED!! So here are some pictures from Jersey Youngs Dairy in Yellow Springs Ohio.

Playing in the corn pit

They all LOVED the John Deer bikes and tractors

LOVE this picture!!
They enjoyed the goats nibbling on their fingers.

My happy little guy on the tractor!

Pretending to drive the tractor

Touching the goats

Carson really enjoyed the animals!

                                                                                  

Logan chose Mint chocolate chip

Carson and I shared Key Lime Pie

Melina is my vanilla girl! (notice the accessories!)

And Meeka chose Cookies and Cream

Summer's End

I had a good week earlier this summer and won free passes to a local water park and COSI to see the Dinosaur exhibit. Both were good until Sept 5th and until today we had done neither. So today as an end of summer treat we took the kids to the water park. They had a great time!! Unfortunately, Logan was to short to go on the big water slides (that 48" mark that is required for all the big rides at amusement parks and water parks still eludes him by about 2 inches!!) but they all played together on the smaller slides (and I have to say I was impressed at their manners...some other kids and adults...not so much!!) and had a blast in the "lazy river circle". We were very impressed by this small waterpark. A great way to spend the last weekend before school and a FUN family activity! 


Next up...to use those free COSI passes!

Sometimes I wonder...

Is the work worth it?

Fresh Baked Bread (yum!)

A delicious pasta dish

20 minutes of eating and conversation

And 45 minutes of cleaning the kitchen afterward.

Final Request

When I asked Logan what he wanted to do on this last week of summer his response was, "Go to Bounce U." So this morning that is what we did.

The Spiderweb is Logan's favorite. Climb up the web and slide down the slide!

Meeka is getting better and better at doing everything herself. Her favorite...the 2 story slide. Melina's too!!

And Carson had fun just hanging out and playing with the balls!

Summer Indulgance

Since school starts in 6 days (but who's counting?) I decided to surprise the kids with a summer treat today. It was BYOB (Bring Your Own Banana) to Ritters Day, so I took the kids for an afternoon snack...sometime ya gotta break the rules! 

They had never had a Banana Split before...needless to say, they devoured it!!! 

Looks Delicious...it was hard to take a picture...they all wanted a bite...NOW!!

Open wide and shovel it in!

Getting low

And lower!

And gone!!

Then it was time to play off the calories.