Happenings in this House

Welcome to another week of Happenings in this House!!! We are doing a family fun day, today, so I'll be sharing that adventure tomorrow but I still wanted to post this today :-)

I wanted to keep the photos "clean" LOL  But, Josh has started showing interest in using the big boy bathroom so one night, we put some underwear on him for the last 15 minutes before bath time to tempt him.:-)

Just kicking back on the rocking horse with some juice :-) 

Josh was playing peek-a-boo with the little munchkin I babysit.  They were both laughing and have lots of fun!

This is a scene that I used to see every day, almost all day long.  As Josh has grown up, he's found other things to play with but every once in awhile, he sits up in the window and just watches outside or plays with some cars.  I really loved seeing this sight this morning . .. but . .. .

This was even more fun to see!  I was busy feeding the little guy so I threw Nate up on the couch behind me.  Usually he would just sit there but he got up and took off for the window.  He climbed right up on that arm and stood there staring out the window.  Josh than came racing over and I was a little concerned I would here "Mine, mine mine" but instead he just got up there next to him and they stayed that way for a long time!!

Nate is discovering new toys to play with that he hasn't played  with before which is always fun to watch!

Josh decided he needed to eat lunch in the chair.  I found this funny because last Wednesday, we got a Happy Meal for dinner (Wednesday is our treat day since Darryl is gone all day long due to driving cab and practice).  Well, that is when he took one bite of a french fry and showed me he had the stomach flu (yuck!)  So, I had given him a bath and than put him in this chair with that blanket wrapped around him.  So, he saw the lunch today, ran to his room, grabbed the blanket and ran to the chair.  Than said "ries?" (Fries)  LOLOLOL  He relaxed there for a long time, watching 'toons and eating "ries"

Finally, I was cooking dinner and the boys were in Josh's room.  They had shut the door (Josh can open it) and I heard them playing.  When I went to get them for dinner this is what I found :-)  I'm sure Nate (or as Josh calls him "Eat") had help getting up on that desk but, hey, at least they were playing together!

So, as you can see we played a lot this week - always lots of fun!!

Creative Memories Spotlight

This week, I've been working on organizing my digital photos.  I finally have figured out a great system thanks to the weekly challenge at A Bowl Full of Lemons.  This is a great way to keep them organized when you download them straight from your camera.  From there, I really like the Creative Memories software.  There are two parts to the software - one is for photo organization and one is for scrapbooking. 

    

The Memory manager program is available for both PC and Mac (I don't have a MAC so I have not had an experience with the product - if you have a MAC and want more info - please let me know, I do have a people that use it!).  Both programs are easy to use and really make scrapbooking quick and easy! 

There are tons of downloads available for these as well - basically digital paper and stickers that you can use over and over and even change the color, texture and more.  Many of the downloads are available as a CD that you can purchase or as a download.  The downloads are great because they are pretty much instant use - just upload them into the system and you have the data.  The digital aspect is also great if you don't like all of the clutter of scrapbooking - everything from paper to stickers is all digital and on your computer, nicely organized.

Am I still a traditional scrapper?  Absolutely.  I find that I love the digital aspect for getting current because it is faster.  Once I am current (it WILL be this year!)  I plan on using the digital piece for the very day things - I tend to take pictures almost every single day of just the stuff the kids do and this will be an easy way to keep up with those daily photos.  Than, I will use traditional scrapbooking for special events and holidays so that I can search Magazines and websites for really neat layout ideas that I can use for just those special days. 

Would I recommend this software?  Yes.  It was given to me as a gift before I became a consultant and, at first, I wasn't sure if I would use it.  Once I got into it, though, I discovered how nice it is to have the ease of the organization and preparing of quick pages.  I wish I would have had the "equipment" when I was on bed rest for 17 weeks with Josh - I could have gotten so much done LOL 

You can check out my Website and search through the "shop", "digital" section for all things digital. 

Seriously Good Stuffed French Toast

In one of my weekly "Too Cute Not to "Toot"" posts, I shared a recipe link for Stuffed French Toast.  Needless to say, I had to try it and it was awesome!!  Honestly, I don't even like french toast but this looks so incredible, I couldn't NOT try it!

Bacon Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf of bread (about 18 slices) 1 (16oz) package maple flavored bacon 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened 1 1/4 packed cups brown sugar 1 tsp maple extract 5 eggs 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons (or so) milk 2-3 tbsp butter Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy.  Drain on paper towels, & set aside. Beat together the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and maple extract until creamy.  Spread the mixture on each of the 18 slices of bread.  Break the pieces of bacon in half, and distribute evenly amongst half of the bread slices.  Top with the remaining pieces of bread. In a shallow dish, like a pie plate - whisk together the eggs and milk.  Dip both sides of the 'sandwiches' in the egg mixture.  Melt the butter in a skillet or griddle.  Cook the french toast on both sides until nicely browned. Serve with butter and syrup

I did nothing differently with this recipe other than not make as many sandwiches.  Next time, I would cut the cream cheese mixture in half since I didn't need it all.  I served the extra bacon with dinner along with some fresh (frozen) fruit.  I made my kids "plain" French Toast, which they ate and than they split one of the sandwiches too - we all LOVED this recipe and I will make it again!

I will be linking this up over at:

    

and

Old McDonald Had a Farm

First, I made the Eensey Weensey Spider to use when the kids and I sang songs (You can check it out here)

So, since Josh loves to sing E-I-E-I . .. . . .. he tends to forget the OOOO!  I HAD to make this adorable song visual to go along with it.

Here's my finished product :-)  I got the animals at Hobby Lobby and just hot glued them to Popsicle sticks.  The barn is scrapbook paper and ribbon - I used modge podge to adhere the paper to form board and than hot glued the ribbon on top of that.  I should have cut the form board first instead of gluing everything on and THAN cutting it out - it isn't as neat as I would have liked it to be but I'm trying to let go of my perfectionism or I'll never finish anything. :-)  I store the animals in a ziplock bag.  We sang the song the first night I made it and Josh loved it.  I would like to find a pig and a sheep but didn't see any the day I was at the store!

This, of course, is not my original idea.  I found the idea over at (can you guess?) Oopsey Daisy.  Here is a picture of her finished product.

This would make a great teacher tool and is super easy to make!  It would also be fun for kids to make and take home to practice their animal sounds/recognition.

Tot Time Activites

We had more fun this week with some of our new activities!

This week, Josh has really enjoyed these little Lap Books that I found over at 1+1+1=1.  He played with both the Nemo book I created last week as well as the Thomas book that I put together on Monday.  He saw me putting it together and kept saying "Choo, Choo! Choo Choo!"

In the picture above he is playing with the shape cards.

He also really enjoyed looking at the pictures of all of the trains from Thomas.  These books entertained him for well over an hour and led to other play.  While playing with the shape cards, he got up, went to his room and brought back his bin of puzzles and played with those.  Than he came back to the book and looked at the pictures - from there he went and got the bin with his train set in it and started playing with the Thomas trains.  All great learning tools!!

Another great learning tool that we use is the book Little Visits with God.  Each night, after bath time, Darryl reads one story to Josh (Nate is usually already in bed).  Josh loves the story - his favorite part is when Darryl says "Lets Pray".  He folds his hands and talks right along with his dad and than says "and amen"! LOL  Sometimes Josh will pull this book off the table during the day and bring it to me to read more stories.  One day I saw him looking through it - he would turn a page, say some words and then I'd hear "and amen", he'd turn the page and do the same thing over again.  If that isn't teaching by example, I don't know what is!! 

I also wanted to share another great Packet of information for you!  Oopsey-Daisy has put together one of her wonderful Mommy School Packs again :-)  There are tons of great ideas in this pack so check it out and make sure to leave her a comment if you use it!!

Another site that has some cute St Patricks Day activities is 2 Teaching Mommies.  I few I had already planned but I might throw in the M & M rainbow, doing the chocolate coin hunt and, of course, doing an Irish Jig!!

Enjoy another week of fun with your kids :-)

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm Loving . . . This Strawberry Patch Candle.

I'm Loving . . . These Nature Valley Granola Thins.  My mom bought a few boxes and gave them to me for the kids to try.  Well, I hate to tell you this mom, but the kids aren't getting any :-)  They are SOOOO good!

I'm Loving . .. . This Song by Casting Crowns.  It is "Glorious Day".  I actually didn't care for this song a whole lot until I heard this version.  Now, when it comes on the radio - I turn it up and sing along with it.  Go ahead, take a listen (make sure and pause the player at the bottom of the blog)



I'm Loving . ..  that my 1/3 of my kitchen cabinets are painted.  It's going a lot faster than I thought it would for which I am grateful.

I'm Loving . ..  the rain that is hitting the window this morning.  I'm not a huge fan of rain when there is still snow on the ground but this morning, I'm enjoying the peacefulness of it before the house wakes up. 

  I'm loving . . . my little family.  Two little boys and One very wonderful husband makes this girl one lucky person!!

Take time to think about the things that you love today - those little things that bring a smile to your face and remember to be thankful for even those little things!!

Too Cute Not to Toot!

Last week I mentioned that I haven't had time to do many crafts lately and I've been thinking about how to go about getting some things done I want to make.  I was saving ideas that people post but than get overwhelmed with how many I have saved.  So instead, I went back to my very first "Too Cute Not to Toot" post and am just going to start working my way through some of those ideas.  Yes, that means that I'll be making some Halloween things now but that will be nice when it comes to Sept/Oct - I'll have some new decorations to put out!  I'm excited about this idea and think I can really work to get some things done plus, I'm sure there will be some new ideas (like the first one below) that I'll make now but otherwise, it's back to the beginning!  I plan on posting my own tutorials along the way along with my "make it easier" ideas since I tend to do things the hard way first LOL 

I saw this posted on a blog I follow and thankfully she linked back to the tutorial - I LOVE this idea as a baby gift!  I'm hoping I can make it to Hobby Lobby to get some supplies for two upcoming showers!  Check out the easy tutorial over at Life Sweet Life

One of the blogs I follow, Bake at 350, gives a ton of ideas on how to decorate cookies (and more!).  I have yet to try these but it is on my to do list.  Because I so enjoy looking at her posts, I thought it was about time I share her talent with you.

Check out the full post here

Craftomaniac gives a really cute (and "cheep" - sorry . . ) idea for an Easter Craft/decoration.  Yep, it really is time to start thinking about Easter :-)

She also shares this really cute St Patrick's Idea for Pots-of-Gold for the kids (and for mom too!)

All I'll say is that, if you come to my house later this year, you will see this idea on the door from Peppermint Plum

I know you will all think I'm crazy but I really like this idea from Home . . Is where they love you for creating a faux animal head to hang on the wall.  I love how she painted the ceramic piece white.  Some day, in my dream home, I will have a "cabin room' - this would make a fantastic addition to that room.

Sometimes I post ideas for you to enjoy and sometimes I post them as reminders to myself of something I want to make and this is one of those!  I love jewelry but seldom get to wear it or purchase it - it always seems like an extravagance for some odd reason BUT I really like this ring and I would love to make some of my own jewelry.  Great Oak Circle gives a great tutorial for how to make this awesome ring.

Food is a craft too, right?  One of the items on my 40x40 list is to learn to make the perfect cheesecake and it looks like What Megan's Making has helped me out a little with this post!

That's all for this week!  I usually try to hit up all of the Monday link parties to grab more ideas but yesterday was a little busy so I'll plug those into next weeks list!  Enjoy :-)