Once there was a snowman!

I got this great idea from the happy home fairy.
She has been posting great ideas for snowman crafts and snacks. While we are enjoying sunshine here in California, much of the country is covered in snow. I forget that people are still making snowmen! Today we made some of our own.

We used mini marshmallows for the border and filled the snowman with coconut.

Mia used gumdrops for buttons, chocolate chips for eyes, and tootsie rolls for arms.
I tried to get her to write her own name, but she had no interest. I did get her to tell me which letters to write so I have high hopes for the future!

Feeding the Birds

This morning, after Zackary went down for his nap, Mia and I had a little craft time fun.

We wanted to make little bird feeders to hang in the trees. We needed bird seed, peanut butter.....

......and bread.

We used cookie cutters that Mia picked out to cut the bread into shapes.

Next we spread peanut butter over the bread.

We pressed the bread, peanut butter side down, into the bird seed.

Finally we hung our little bird feeders high up in the trees.

Chocolate

In a bowl
I have been making a lot of brownies lately.
We are all happier because of it :)

New school and projects

Max started school again on Monday. In Tennessee he was attending a full day kindergarten and now he is attending a half day kindergarten that doesn't start until 9:50 am! I am loving the laid back mornings. Max seems to be adjusting well to his new teacher and classmates. They have had hot chocolate for snack every day this week :)
I have been crafting and reading with Mia while Max has been at school. I think she is glad to have some time for herself again.
Zackary has discovered the sandbox and has been spending his days distributing the sand throughout the backyard.
Ty and I are busy with home inspections, loan officers, new bank accounts, and other financial fun. In his free time Ty has been dry walling and painting my dad's garage. I think he was missing his projects. I know he is anxious to have his own garage where he can do all of his wood working and furniture building. I am counting down the days until we can move into our house! I feel like we have been so blessed. The Lord has been very mindful of our needs and has helped us transition so smoothly. We are so thankful!
Hope everyone is having a great week!

Gettin' Fresh in the Backyard

I have been away from California for a long time. I remember my first summer away from home. I missed my parents fruit trees so much!
The kids and I are having great fun playing in the yard. Mia and Max love to play in the sandbox and Zack enjoys hiding in the little orchard. We are all loving the fresh fruit!

Seriously! Check out this gorgeous little avocado....growing on a tree just outside the back door!
We are going guacamole crazy :)

Oranges for juicing or eating. If you have never had an orange fresh off the tree, you really don't know what an orange is supposed to taste like. (Better than candy!)

Let's not forget the lemons.
They add freshness to almost everything and Zac is having a great time throwing them all over the place.

January!

It may not be snowing here in southern California but we are still enjoying plenty of hot cocoa, warm soup, and together time. Hope everyone is enjoying their month :)

A Little Update

The other day at the library bookstore I found a bunch of cook's illustrated magazines for .25 cents a piece! I have been reading and learning and tonight I did a little cooking. I made fried chicken and it was so fabulous. Funny that I would live in the south for almost 3 years and just now learn how to make really good fried chicken! So fried chicken for dinner and chocolate cupcakes for dessert! It's a good thing I joined the gym out here.
Ty went to his first staff meeting this morning. I think he was really glad to get back into the workplace and feel professional again.
The owners of the house we made an offer on came back with a counter. We countered right back. I think we can both get what we want! When the deal is finalized I will post pictures and details.
Max starts school on Monday. Here in California the kids get 3 weeks of Christmas break! It feels like Max has been off forever. I know he is looking forward to getting back to school. I am excited for the time I will be able to spend with Mia. With all of the transition I haven't had much of a chance to work with her. My goal for 2011 is to help her to learn all of her letters. She is very headstrong and does not really enjoy learning right now so it is a challenge, but I know we can do it :)
Zac is loving the southern California winter weather. It has been so wonderful to get outside so much. He loves taking walks and hiding in the orchard in my parent's backyard.
Everyone is doing well and we have been very blessed. We are just working on moving forward with our plans and we are trying to live as normally as possible while we are still in transit!

Today was a Tuesday

Ty and I made an offer on a house today!
I can't help but daydream about decorating the kid's rooms and cooking in the kitchen!

We went downtown with my brother and the kids today. We stopped by the library bookstore so that I could stock up on magazines for the gym. I am so excited to get my cardio on in the morning! After the bookstore we did a little tour de Redlands. We played by the fountains at the Lincoln Shrine and danced on stage at the bowl. On the way home we stopped for tacos at Cuca's. Oh how I have missed good tacos! I seriously cannot get enough of them now that I am back in California. After tacos I had to go to the store and buy good chocolate with which I had to make some good brownies. Overall it was a pretty awesome Tuesday.

Hoping to hear some good news soon!

Snowman Milk Glasses!

I found this fabulous breakfast treat idea at Bakerella.com!
http://www.bakerella.com/milk-men/

My kids are going to love it.

What you will need:
small milk glasses
powdered doughnut holes
straws
milk

To decorate,

Small candies attached to the doughnut hole with frosting to create the snowman face, felt for the scarves, and buttons to glue on to the front of the milk bottle.

I wonder if using chocolate or strawberry milk would completely ruin the effect?

Happy 2011!

To celebrate New Year's Eve I put together a little treasure hunt for the kids. The clues led them to a box full of noisemakers and candy. Max and Mia were able to blow the horns on their own. Zackary put the horn to his lips and made his own horn noises!

We built a fire in the backyard and played with glow sticks and made s'mores. It was a great New Year's Eve! The night ended early because we are old and tired, but 2011 still came :)
This year I resolve to eat more butter, buy more shoes, and to watch every new episode of Gossip Girl.
Here's to a better me ;)