School Closed - SNOW DAY!

Truly, this was a SNOW DAY! We woke up and the whole front was covered in snow - even the street and sidewalks. We loved everything about it. We loved that the kids were off of school, and loved the Daddy got to go into work late and make us all breakfast. The news reported that we had between 10-12 inches of snow that night. Hard to believe in Texas....ha ha

Robert and Grace made their way out front to get a better look at things.

This was their snowman from the night before....

This was the view from our back window.

Night Time Fun....

After our day at the park playing in the snow we waited anxiously to see if the snow would continue so that we would have another day of fun. Soon after dinner on Thursday night, the Allen schools announced that school would be closed on Friday - A SNOW DAY! We were overjoyed...and knowing that we could stay up late and sleep in on Friday, we headed outside for some night time fun. The snow was coming down at a steady pace. Robert, Grace and Olivia decided to build snowmen, and even enlisted the help of our neighbor Mike from next door. (single guy no kids....loved getting invited to join the "party")

Kate and I stepped outside for a few minutes to see how things were going. The snow was coming down fast and we were getting wet so we headed back inside and watched from the front window.

The snow man progressed....the kids were getting cold by now and we were low on dry gloves.

Finally, we had two snowmen....I did not get a picture of the final dressed version of their snowmen....I think I was putting Kate to bed by that point.

We Love the Snow!

We got snow!! Last week we woke up to snow.....everywhere! Of course we were delighted, we are from California, we love getting snow. And while the weather was not so great, school was not closed for the day. Grace was super sad to have to go to school, we were a little worried that the snow would melt during the day and would be all gone by the time she got home. It took Robert a few additional morning minutes to get ready.....and get the car ready for his hour commute.

After school, the girls and I headed out to the park where we met a group of friends to play in the  snow. Grace and Olivia loved playing outside and lasted longer than I thought. We replaced wet gloves with dry ones often which helped. Kate was a trooper...all bundled up she could hardly move at all.

Here are my snow angels.....yes they were VERY wet after this part of the day. Not long after, we went home!

Goodbye park.....hope to see you and the snow again tomorrow!

Pancake Puffs....mmmmmm

For Christmas my parents gave me the most incredibly fun little pan. It's for making pancake puffs...knowing me and my kids well. Grace and Olivia would eat pancakes for every meal if I let them! This little pan makes 7 little puff things - which you can put yummies in the middle of. Right now my skills are at a novice level and I have only made ones with chocolate chips. My brother-in-law Darren was here for New Years and gave me a bunch of tips....which really stepped up my game. The kids are overjoyed not by the new pan as much as the fact that they can have pancakes EVERY day! Yes, I have been sucked into making them before school on a few occassions. yikes! I have included the link so that you all can buy one as well!

TV Products 4 Less

Here they are...puffing up...chocolate chips have been poked inside.

Oh the flip, golden brown....yum! (be careful to cook them long enough to get them done in the middle otherwise you have dough balls on your hands!)

The finished product - pancakes with choc chips in the middle. I can't say this is the healthiest meal ever but they LOVE them. Grace likes them plain so that she can dunk them in syrup.

Avocados....good or bad for you?

Here's my dilema. I know that avocados are good for you...in theory.....and facts are there. However, how come just looking at guacamole will make you gain weight? Perhaps it's the handfuls of tortilla chips you eat to make the guac taste so yummy? Is it the salt-rimmed margarita that went with the guacamole that added the calories on? (Can anyone have just one margarita??? Don't you make them by the pitcher-full?)

Avocados are a surprisingly complete food, with fourteen minerals to stimulate growth, including iron and copper for your blood. The sodium and potassium in avocados keeps your body chemically balanced. Vitamins in avocados include A, several B-complex, C, and E, as well as phosphorus and magnesium. They’re also a great source of antioxidants like vitamins E and C.
They’re a great source of fruit oil and digestible fats, and they make excellent and healthy dips for raw vegetables. When blended with fruit, they make particularly nutritious baby food.

Here is a recipe that I found - and love! Enjoy!

Guacamole w/ Roasted Tomatillos
(makes 4 cups)
12 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 c finely chopped white onion
1/2 c finely chopped cilantro
4 serrano chiles, seeded, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 T fresh lime juice
3 large avocados, peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped

Broil tomatillos until just blackened in spots and tender, about 8 minutes per side. Combine onion, cilantro, chiles and lime juice n large bowl. Add roasted tomatillo and any juices from baking sheet to onion mixture. Using fork, mash coarsely. Add avocados and mash with fork until coarsely pureed and some chunks remain. Season w/ salt and pepper to taste.

I Love You to Pluto

One of my favorite books for my girls is, "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney. Both Grace and Olivia have heard the story hundreds of times and it has become one of their favorites as well. The book tells the story of the little Nutbrown Hare and the big Nutbrown Hare. The big Nutbrown Hare is telling the little Nutbrown Hare how much she loves her...to the end of the garden, over the hill, to the top of this tree", each time making it a larger amount. At the very end of the story the little Nutbrown Hare says, "I love you to the moon" with the big Nutbrown Hare responding by saying "I love you to the moon, and back again". mmmmm. So so so sweet.

A while back Grace decided that this was not enough love. She wanted to "top" this amount by saying she loved me to Pluto and back. She had recently learned that Pluto and Mars were other planets that were far away, perhaps farther away than the Moon. Olivia, trying to copy Grace now tells us at night before bed, "I love you to Pluto Mom". I love this. (smile)

Yesterday, Olivia came home from school, this was our conversation.....

(Olivia) Mom, is Pluto the most far away?
(Me) I'm not sure Olivia why do you ask?
(Olivia) I want to know what planet is the biggest away from us.
(Me)Hmm, I'm not sure Olivia we can find out if you want. Why do you ask?
(Olivia) Grace was telling me about all the planets on her poster and I don't think that Pluto is the most away, I think Juniper is. I think I love you to Juniper instead.
(Me) Ohhhh, I see. You know Olivia, it's okay if we love each other to Pluto still. We can find out about "Juniper" and then we can decide which is the furthest away for the most love.
(Olivia) Okay, good. I want to reeeeeeallllly reeeeeeallly love you a lot.
(Me) I reeeeeeally reeeeeeeally love you a lot too Olivia.

Bless Her

We were so lucky to have Liz and Darren (of course with Megan and Maddie) home for New Year's this year. It's not an easy trip from New Hampshire....2 kids....20 tons of presents....a gazillion bags....and a kid that barfed on Liz's lap on the way here! We were even more lucky to be able to have the Baptism for Kate while they were here. It was a small event, and so sweet. We used the small chapel at the church and blessed our precious Katie.

God Parents Liz and Darren with their God Baby Kate.

Jason, Jenny, Laura, Robert, Kate, Amanda, Mikey, Darren, Liz, Mom & Dad

(and in the front.... Emily, Maddie, Grace, Megan and Olivia)

Sweet Baby Kate, 5 months