Wordless Wednesday

chocolate + bananas = Yummmm

Today was a lazy lazy day for us. I did loads and loads of laundry, cleaned up the kids room and put their laundry away. I also had some bananas that were almost ready for banana bread.. But I didn't feel like making banana bread! So instead I cut them in half and stuck popsicle sticks in them. then froze until the boys got home from school.

After the boys got home I pulled out some candy melts we had in the pantry and well melted them in the microwave.

Dished up some of the melted candy melts on to some plates and let the kids, roll, drizzle and decorate their frozen bananas!

Then the bananas went back into the freezer for a couple of hours.

Only to reappear at dessert time!

I meant to take picture of them actually decorating the bananas, but my hands were busy helping ;)

Yum!

Food! Sweets! YUM!

They other day I was bitten by the baking bug! I made brownies (from scratch). But I was running low on cocoa powder so I added 1/2 a cup of chunky peanut butter to the mix... They were to DIE for! yummm.. Then I made Some Butterscotch Cookie bars... Ohhhh my! and I even had to alter the recipe... still so good!,  So here are first the unaltered recipes from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (reprint from the 1953 edition!)

Perfect Brownies
2-1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c California walnuts

Melt chocolate over hot water.
Thoroughly cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. Blend in melted chocolate, vanilla and flour. Mix nuts into batter or sprinkle over top of the batter after it is poured into the pan.
Pour batter into greased 8x8x2 pan. Bake in a slow oven (325) 35 min.

Butterscotch Cookies
1/2 c butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. dry shredded coconut

Cook butter and sugar over low heat until bubbly. Cool. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each edition. add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients; add with coconut to first mixture; mix thoroughly. One cup of nuts may also be added.
Spread in a shallow greased pan and bake in a moderate oven (350) about 25 min. While warm cut into squares.

Now for my changes.

For the brownies I use 6 TBS of cocoa powder mixed with 2 TBS of vegetable oil instead of unsweetened chocolate squares. I always add 1/2 a cup of something to them (never used walnuts though) usually chocolate chips, sometimes 1/2 c. peanut butter, or M&M's or anything else we have on hand ;). I have found the BEST temperature to cook them at is actually 350 for 20-25 min.

For the butterscotch cookies.. I had no coconut so I added 1 cup of oatmeal. Then I melted and drizzled chocolate over top.... That is it! These are subtle sweet chewy goodness. Especially yummy with coffee :). I am going to try the coconut with them next!

For dinner tonight Brianna and I made "Chinese Pot Roast"... It is cooking now and smells sooo good I can't wait to try it! I think I am going to try my had at making some Lo Mein noodles to go with it! Yummmm!

Playing outside and planting seeds!

Yesterday was a semi nice day after a couple of rainy blah days, we ended up spending the majority of the day outside. First we went to the school playground for a picnic lunch with a friend... I left the camera at home, (I was afraid she would think I was weird for running around after my kids documenting their every move LOL). we left the house at 11:30 and didn't come home till 3:30.. Got home relaxed a bit then made dinner. After dinner we headed back outside until daddy got home at 7.

I'm really not sure why the stuffed animals came outside... But I just shrugged my shoulders and let the kids run.

Look at my daughter on the tricycle... She is The QUEEN of fashion...Yup..
 

I find it funny to see Caitlynn in skirts and dresses of her choosing she is turning into such a girly girl. I really thought she was going to be a little tomboy for a while.

dancing, she dances a lot... usually just to the music in her head :)

Anyone who saw my Christmas card post.. Look the unicorn is back!!!! Apparently he makes a FABULOUS dancing partner!

When we headed back inside the girls had to check on their beans.. (we have been watching some beans that we put in a wet paper towel in the window, apple seeds too but they haven't sprouted.)

We decided it was time to plant them... At this point they will probably die (thanks to me hahahahahah) but the girls have had fun watching them.)

poke a hole

plant a seed

add some water and watch it grow!

I LOVE Aerogarden!

First I love my Aerogarden because I can grow things fresh herbs and veggies and not kill them... Seriously I have a black thumb I am death to plants. Having the Aerogarden make me feel competent. :). But yesterday just takes the cake. I was getting ready to set up the Aerogarden, we had just gotten some new light bulbs I was super excited! Then I pulled out the bulbs and one was broken... for half a second I was pissed, then I decided to call the customer service number. I called and it was a simple press one to place an order, press two for customer service. Then I was on hold, for maybe 2 minutes. They answered the phone and were extremely nice! I told them that I had just bought new bulbs and one had come in the package broken. They took my address and told me to expect new lights in about a week! I am so excited!!! And super pleased to have found some awesome customer service!

Thank you so much Aerogrow international !!!!

Wordless Wednesday

It's raining it's pouring the old man is snoring.....

It has been raining since yesterday..Sort of like this but these pictures I took two weeks ago last week the last time it rained... This week I have some sort of sinus thing going on. Yesterday was awful every time I sat or stood up I though my head was going to explode... It was AWFUL. We did end up going to the library and checking out a bunch of books and movies then letting the girls veg with them..I even made hubby go get the boys from school and I just laid on the couch...ALL DAY... Thankfully the headache is gone today, Just sore and achy with a bit of a sore throat.

I am sort of upset though.. because it was raining, and raining hard.. we didn't get our stuff to goodwill.. BLECH. Hopefully Thursday it will not rain long enough to get this junk out of the house... Maybe??

in the meantime you can enjoy some cute pictures of my girls jumping in puddles :).

A day or um 3 late

So I'm just a little late posting this. But the weather has been to die for here. Just absolutely wonderful! Between stretches of spring cleaning we have spent all of our time outside!

Just saying :)

Nathaniel had a WONDERFUL birthday! He woke up to a pile of presents

He got a pile of presents!

We are dorks,hehehe. My husband has been trying to get the boys to like something other than pokemon... He now has them hooked on Dragonball Z... They love it (and they still love pokemon just as much LOL)

Final Fantasy for the DS!

Something to destroy... on purpose!

LEGOS!!!!!!

Real Bug bracelets!

A pogo stick!!!! 

An awesome castle lego set woooohooo!

He LOVED his cake... It was inspired by Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightening Thief. I couldn't find simple Greek symbols for the gods so around the edge I did the Greek symbols for the planets with a big lightening bolt in the middle! yay!. Then I let Nathaniel read the post I wrote just before his birthday.. He sniffed and just said "Thanks mom" :)

Ok I said we have been spring cleaning.... After the winter we had ... It was scary in here... really scary.... Our trash men are going to hate us on Wednesday... also I'm not sure if good will is going to be happy or scared... We have.. 8 bags of clothes.. 5 boxes of toys and 3 boxes of books just for goodwill.... YAY!!!!

To my dear soon to be tween

Nathaniel,

I am so blessed to be here to watch and guide you in to the land of grown-upness(yes I made it up)

 

I hope you never lose your playfulness

Your fun loving nature

Your wonderful disposition (hey look everyone super girl was at the play ground with us)

 Your helpful manner

The way you care for the people you love

Your patience with those smaller than you

 And I hope you can always beat your mother at a game of horse (cause really I stink at it!) But I promise to always make time to lose to you :)

 Baby boy, 

I can't believe you are turning 10 tomorrow... I'm not sure how we got here but you are growing into a wonderful young man. I can't wait to see what the years hold for you..

Happy Birthday!