Rock Jar Date!!!!!

Remember a while ago when we started the rock jars? The kids finally filled them a few weeks ago so we did a family date and spent an evening at a local indoor water park. We hadn't been there in a while so it was so much fun. The kids played hard, were very well behaved and were tired and ready to go home after a few hours - perfect for us!

It took them a long time because we weren't always the most consistent with the rocks. It seemed we remembered the jars when they were naughty, but not always when they were good. So it was partially our fault. But now that they have been rewarded, they are even more excited and determined to fill them up faster this time, they want to go back to the waterpark!

Just Me And My (little) Guy

Rylan and I had a little overnight date, just the two of us so we could visit an awesome science museum. We stayed up late at a hotel to eat popcorn and watch golf, then had breakfast together and spent the day at the museum.

This particular exhibit had all these mouse cages with fake mice inside and different structures/toys in each one. The question was, "which habitat would you want to live in if you were a mouse?" Rylan and I started looking at each cage and I immediately was looking for the one that had the most "stuff". He took his time and then pointed out the one he chose - the most boring one of all. When I gave him a puzzled look, he said, "this one has a friend." Sure enough, there were two mice in that one. I think he passed that psychological test and I failed miserably. It was a good reminder from my sweet sweet boy that you don't always need "stuff" to be happy.

Looking at brain cells in a microscope

Waiting in the dark for the Omnitheater show! I only had to shut my eyes a few times to keep from getting motion sick.

Opening and closing the T-Rex jaw

Building with blocks

Playing with weights

Lunch time, but too interested in all the stuff around us.

Brain teasers- we had so much fun at this little station. I've always thought I was pretty good at brain teasers, but there were two different things that I couldn't figure out that Rylan did. The guy there was impressed that he was only 7, I'm so proud of my guy and his problem solving skills!

Rylan on the huge chair and me on the tiny one.

The penny machine!!! Rylan had never seen one of these and he was so excited about smashing pennies. I figured it was a cheap souvenir so we splurged on the $3 collector book and I kept caving and letting him get 1 more, 1 more, 1 more - so after a few trips to the cafe to get more change he finally got all 8 designs that were there. It's now been his new obsession and we've already looked up where to find more machines. And I had no idea there were so many! It will be fun for him to collect a penny or two from new places we visit and expand his collection.

And yes, I saw the change machine right there, but it didn't work so that's why we had to keep going back to the cafe.

Standing on a little play area in the dinosaur bone exhibit.

We had such a great time together and even though we spent nearly 7.5 hours at the museum, we didn't even get to the outdoor stuff! (Which we would have done if it had't been raining!). I realized its been way too long since I've spent time alone with Rylan and it was so good to focus just on him. Thanks for the fun day buddy! I love you and your inquisitive mind!

Mackenzie My Dear

I'm going to miss hanging out with just Mackenzie in the mornings now that it's summer.  Her and Rylan fight a lot, so when they're together it's referee Mom and it's exhausting.  On their own they are both great and Mackenzie is just so sweet and funny.  (Don't worry, Rylan and I get our time together too - we just had a great overnight date - more on that to come!)

Here are some pictures of her last week - being a goof and helping me out.  Planking between the furniture.

Posing in her "fancy" outfit for the day.

Helping with the mac n cheese.

She eats mac n cheese a lot, but I figure it's alright if she's still eating fruits and I use this veggie pasta kind I get from Target.   I think it tastes funny, but she loves it!

School's Out!

Today was the kids' last day of school.  They both had such great years and such great teachers!  Here is a little comparison from the beginning of this school year to the end.

First Day                                                        Last Day

Huh, I guess he doesn't look that much taller.  I think in the first picture, I had squatted down so my shadow wouldn't be in the way  - and I know I didn't do that this morning, I just stood further away and zoomed in.  So maybe the different angle is throwing me off?  Because based on the length of his pants, he has definitely gotten taller!

Rylan's wonderful teacher!

Okay, check this out though!  

First Day                                                       Last Day

Holy moly!  The name tag didn't move, but she sure got a lot closer to it!  She just looks so much more grown-up!  And can't you tell she has a little more spunk in her? (well, spunk, sass, the dickens, drama - whatever you want to call it - she's got it!)  She's definitely become our little clown - constantly trying to get people to laugh.

We are so so so grateful for this super awesome teacher - and all the other helpers in the classroom.  My girl is totally different from when she walked into that class two years ago.  She was shy and only said a handful of words.  Now she is a leader and is never quiet!  Way to go Mackenzie!

New Favorite Breakfast

Chia Seed Pudding!  I know I've posted about this before, but maybe it wasn't as good as I thought, because I never made that version again.  I came across some other chia recipes on Pinterest and decided to try another one that had more chia seeds.  I made it using vanilla soy milk - and that is the key!  Soy milk is thicker and the vanilla flavor is perfect!  

Using a mason jar is also very helpful, because you just shake it up, no stirring!

Here's my recipe:

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

1 cup light vanilla soy milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

sugar to taste (I just sprinkled a little in there -no idea how much)

Put ingredients in a mason jar, screw on the lid and shake it up.

Wait about 15 minutes and shake it up again.  This is an important step or you'll just have a huge clump of chia seeds stuck together at the bottom.  

Put in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy in the morning!

Update:

I started this post and then was eating a jar-full for breakfast one morning and it didn't taste right - it was actually pretty icky.  I realized that I had opened a new bag of chia seeds the night before so apparently not all chia seeds taste the same.  The first bag I had been using was from our local grocery store, I'm not sure what the brand was, but I sure hope they still have that kind.  The new bag I had used was from Trader Joe's.  It's been in my pantry for a while, but it was never opened, so I'm not sure if Chia seeds expire or if they really can just vary that much.  (I had poured them into a plastic container and the bag was at the bottom of the garbage can, so I wasn't going to dig it out to check the date.)  In any case, I hope I can find the seeds I had before because the Trader Joe's kind was really not good.

Another update:

I found the good ones at the grocery store!  Bob's Red Mill was the brand and they are delicious, so I'm back in business enjoying my chia seed pudding for breakfast!

Just A Little Spicy

One of my favorite things to make in the summer is pico de gallo.  I can't wait to have a garden this year so I can grow most of this stuff and make it all the time!

However, I probably wouldn't ever make it if I didn't have this beauty, one of my favorite little gadgets, the Vidalia Chop Wizard!

I really hate chopping veggies, especially onions, so this thing makes it a breeze - love it!

This is one of the few things I make without a recipe or specific amounts - I add ingredients based on how it looks.

Start with roma tomatoes

Add some onion,

lime juice,

cilantro,

and a little serrano pepper.  For this particular batch I think I used 4 tomatoes and half of a serrano pepper.  Nick would probably love it if I used the whole thing, but I'm a wuss and I can't handle that much heat.

I also add a little salt and it's done!  So delicious!

And if you have the pico made, you might as well have some guacamole to go with it!

Just mash up an avocado (or 2),

add a little mayo,

 a scoop or two of pico,

salt to taste, and you're ready to go!  

I love guacamole, but I don't order it at restaurants because it's never as good as when you make it yourself at home.  Bring on summer!

Mommy, Take A Picture Of This!

When the kids are playing, I often hear, "Mommy, come take a picture!"  It's usually Rylan wanting to remember something cool he built, but sometimes it's Mackenzie just wanting her picture taken.  I have been saving them up lately so I can share them all at once.

Rylan's lincoln log high rise

Towers - they actually worked on these together!

Rylan insisted I take pictures at different angles so you could see the whole thing!  I love that both their feet are in this picture.

Rylan built this out of poker chips - I think it's pretty impressive for a 7-year-old!

Poker chip towers

While I was taking pictures in the kitchen of a new recipe one day, Mackenzie insisted I take a picture of her with her mashed potatoes too.  Sweetie!

Thank You Teachers!

As a former teacher, I know all the hard work that goes with that career, so I fully appreciate what my kids' teachers do.  I know I missed teacher appreciation week, but I like to give them something at the end of the year to express our gratitude for being such awesome teachers!

Mackenzie has 4 classroom teachers and a speech teacher that she saw for most of the year.  It would be difficult getting something for each one of them, so I made a school supply 'cake' that can be used in their classroom next year.  I saw the idea here: 

http://whatsscrapping.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-to-school-supply-cake.html

Here's how I made mine.

I started with a tub like this one from the dollar store.

I flipped it upside down, put a few boxes of markers underneath and taped crayon boxes around it.

I found this cardboard box at the dollar store too - I picked it because it was the perfect size for the top of the yellow tub.

I put glue bottles around the box and three stacks of dixie cups on top.  There were more cups from the package, so I put those in the box.

Packages of glue sticks fit perfectly around the cups and on the box.

Add a little ribbon to each layer, some homemade tags, and fun paper clips and voila - a super cute school cake!

We're also bringing real cupcakes for the whole class to enjoy as well!

For Rylan's teacher we made a little movie gift basket.  I got the idea here:

http://www.thebusybudgetingmama.com/2012/05/diy-teacher-appreciation-treat-bag.html

It contains a movie theater gift card, some microwave popcorn, and candy.

  

Thank you teachers for all you do!!!!