Kids in the Kitchen

I absolutely love cooking with my kids, and it seems like none of the recipes I have are easy enough for them to understand. That is why I love childrens cookbooks! There are many bennefits for your kids if they're able to help in the kitchen; math, reading, bonding, responsibility. I love it and I know they do too

 Childrens cookbooks are so cute too!

Some not so much, but equally great!

The kids can even check them out at the school library!

Love how they have pictures for the recipes, helps the kiddos understand better. Sometimes it's difficult for them to understand what "fold in butter" means

 In most of them, the glossary is very helpful

Some are just too fun!

Some have great themes

and others are just pretty to look at, while still having excelent recipes for kids

But no matter what they look like, most important thing is that they're fun!!!

So get  out your cookbooks and enjoy an April shower inside, by the oven with your kids! Spring Break is  next week, so I know we will be doing alot of this!

And they say you can't play with your food...

Today while at the Dr.'s office, I was fumbling through one of the child magazines and came across this idea, I thought it was so cool and knew the kids would love it too. I can't remember what magazine it was to give the proper credit.
It's so simple too. I love it! I want to start a series for fun, easy, kids meals that they can prepare. All I had to do was boil the water and cut the hotdog!

 "Squid Dogs"

Just cut up a few hotdogs

Let the kids spear them with thin spaghetti noodles

Drop them in boiling water, and cook until noodles are tender!

And ENJOY!!

It was pretty good!

Where I've been: Delaware: Part 1 {Bridal Shower}

This past weekend I did something that is SO not me. I drove 300 miles to Seatac airport, left my kids in the care of my Mother-in-Law, and flew 3000 miles to surprise my sister. I was forced to get over my fear  flying, and my fear of leaving P#3 for the first time. My flight was OK, although I missed my connecting flight in Chicago. The kids were great for Grandma, and I had SO much fun!! I felt like a big girl doing this all by myself! :) As many of you probably know, my sister is getting married next month, and I've been helping her plan and do stuff over the phone and through the Internet. Her wonderful future M-I-L and Sister-in-Law had a plan to get me out there to surprise her and be there to help hands on with last minute wedding stuff.
Today is about the trip and bridal shower.

 Luckily on the planes I was seated next to some pretty cool people, who didn't mind me breathing heavily in and out trying to calm my nerves. It's not as scary as i had anticipated, but still pretty frightening, so that you xanax for helping me!:)

Carmen's M-I-L made these, aren't they cute?

She also had the centerpiece made. And the frame is of a journal entry from their beach house they go to yearly, everyone writes in the journal about their trip, and Carmen's was about Brian proposing, so unique and creative to think of framing it!

The food was fantastic!!

The apron I made her for the games, She's such a Domestic Diva!!!

The newlywed game. This one was my fave, she's terrified of owls, so if you read his answer, it's hilarious!!

She got tons of cool gifts

Just us! Just like when we were little.

Stay tuned for more east Coast fun!!!!

Backyard memories

We are starting to get use to where we live. It's crazy I never thought I could live without green and trees. I don't miss the constant rain anymore, and I actually really like the dessert rain.
 One thing I do miss is living in the woods. We used to have bonfires all the time. Get togethers where we all sat around a fire in our backyard, talking while the kids played hide-n-seek in the dark, until they were so tired they fell victim to the fires trance and fell asleep in our arms.
I got the hubs a firepit for our anniversary. I thought it would be a great idea. But we've only used it 2 times. I guess its just not the same. Especially for him.  Good memories he has of his friendships, and a friendship that only lives in memories.

The kids love it though. We decided (well P#2 decided) That smores sounded really good, so they begged their dad to start a fire. It was nice. And for a moment, it felt like we were back home.

Recipe, Ramblings.. Oh and a WINNER!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!This has always been one of my favorite "fun" holidays. Mainly cause it's 2 days before my Birthday, and my mom used to always have green themes for my parties growing up, just brings back childhood memories.

 Not much new here. We are enjoying the gorgeous weather and I have not been in front of my machine at all in over a week, I need to do so. I am supposed to be making aprons for my sisters bridal shower, but I've totaly been slacking.
I've been watching Idol and I must say that this season is quite the disapointment. I do have 1 fave: Siobhan. My others went home last week.

Ok Are you ready for the winners?.................

They are # 2 ~ Cole's Corner
Who said she was leaning more towards the "yellow flower one"
& #9 ~ Sim's Family Who liked "I Love You, Paris"

I will have these out in the mail to you lovely ladies by the end of the week. Just send me an E-mail with your address.
Thank you all for joining the fun, and following my madness!

So on a different note thought I'd share my most Favorite Cupcake recipe. My sister shared it with me and I shared it with you last year. It's just green and spring-y. I heart these. You MUST try them! Super Delish!!!

 Click Here To go to recipe

Kinda a crazy all over the place post. But thats kinda how I'm feeling!

Are you watching American idol? Who are you voting for?

What a week..

Its been quite a busy week around here.

The hubs and I anniversary is this Sunday. I had been racking my brain on what I could get a man who has all the tools he's wants, is so NOT into electronics, and wears t-shirt and jeans everywhere. On last Sunday, after the Superbowl we were heading home and he says, "You know, I really miss having bon fires, we used to that every weekend, too bad you can't burn here." The next day I called our local fire dpt. and they say you can burn, and that as long as its not tumbleweeds, "have fun!" I went down to Wal-mart and bought a fire pit, stopped at a job site and asked If we could have the scrap wood and went home and set it up. He was SO VERY excited! I'm proud of myself for thinking of something he was not expecting.

We made some cute Valentines:

I've been working on My Sisters wedding stuff (kinda a spoiler so I didn't post the whole thing cause she would probly kill me!) I did the label and e-mailed it to her, she did the rest and did an awesome job!:

P#2 made the star student this week. Monday we had to make a book all about her, Tuesday she had to bring her favorite book to read to the class, Thursday was Show and Tell, she wanted Titan and her brother to come in, so we spent some time in her class yesterday during her V-day party.Today she will be receiving an award for honesty from the principle. I willpost pics on that!!!

I've been cleaning and preparing for our visitors this weekend.

And I had wisdom teeth pulled.

I will leave you with some cute pics of P#3 eating lunch. Just cause he's so darn cute!

{ look cute}

    {carefull,its hot}

{be sure to laugh}

{use 2 spoons}

{and take huge bites}

Hope you all enjoy your weekend. Filled with lots of LOVE.