Super Hero!

Joel and I got a sitter on Friday night, aka. the best babysitter on the planet. (No, seriously! If I were to hand pick the best, cutest, funest, 14 year old, she still would not be as good as "Hay J". It was a first for us. With our parents living so close, we are blessed with free babysitting, almost anytime we need it. This weekend, we thought we would give the grandparents the week off! Anyways, how many 14 year olds do you know that will send me a text, saying, "Hope you are having fun, we are!" She is so great! I even had to call her mom the next day, and tell her how much I LOVE HER!)
Anyways... so we went and saw Batman! Everybody seems to have to same opinion on the movie. It was great, erie, creepy, scary, lame story, long, blah blah. I think the Joker made the movie, and would see it again, only because he was so great.
But speaking of SUPERHEROS, Tearz made Superhero cookies with her boys, and they looked so fun, and yummy, I thought I would do it with my kid(s), and my adorable nephew! It was so fun, and they were yummy.





The trick to these brightly colored treats? Food color PASTE! I told the lady at the candy making store, "I want what ever it is that makes their mouths turn BLUE!" Thanks Tearz for your post, and for your friend who came up with the idea! GREAT and FUN!

Oh, to be young again!

Nora and I are in a play group that meets every week. The first week of the month we play with the residents that live at Ashley Court assisted living. They love playing with the kids. I really want Nora to learn that we help other people even though it may be doing something we don't want to do. I spend so much of my time doing whatever she wants, and giving into her every need and sometimes want! She may not know it now, but there will be a day where she will remember her mom, making her do service. Hopefully at some point, it will be something she also wants to do. At this point, I know that the residents and I get more out of it then she does.

This is Emery. Emery doesn't talk, but he uses his hands, and eyes to communicate with us. He loves Nora, and likes to take her crackers, and her crayons! She doesn't mind at all. She gets annoyed that he won't take his hat off. They are becoming quite good buddies. He is so sweet with her, it makes my heart melt!



This is Shirley. She LOVES everyone. She may look frail, but if you hold her hand, you will learn she is one tough gal! She gets a death grip on your hand, and WON'T LET GO! Here Shirley is talking to Julie, and Julies twins, Logan and Tanner... well, who knows what they are thinking, you tell me!


This is my sister-in-law Alie, and baby MJ. Emma A is so good with all the residents there. She is the shining example of children in service!

Thank you Grandma!!!

When my grandfather passed away in March, everyone asked Grandma, "What are you going to do now?" Her response was classic Grandma Staub, "I am going to spend more time with my grand kids." We can all agree that we have definitely seen her more, but I don't think it is us she really wants to see. She knows that if she wants to see the little kids, she has to see us! Either way, we love it, and we love her.

She came our way this weekend, with a purpose! She had no idea that her coming here would alter my life in some way. I haven't seen the affects of it yet, but it got me thinking, and I can't wait! The purpose of her coming, other then seeing her BEAUTIFUL, CHARMING, CARING, FAVORITE grand daughter (me of course), was to make a craft with the little kids. (Cousins... you know I'm KIDDING! We all know Natalie is the favorite!)

This craft is the most genius thing I have seen in a while. I asked grandma where she came up with the idea. Of course... she goes to the Red Cross to donate blood, and the cookies they gave her were magnificent! Cookies like that cannot be homemade, so she went to ask the workers where she could buy cookies like that? I can imagine her talking to a volunteer for an hour about these cookies. Turns out, they are homemade. Now, I am not kidding you when I say this, these taste just like the cookies that you can buy from the girl scouts, the peanut butter ones! Why didn't I think of this? This is my new treat that I will be bringing to pot lucks, road trips, parties, during All My Children, whatever (by the way, I don't watch soaps, I made that last one up). I have only tasted the ones that the kids made, kind of scary, but I can only imagine how yummy they will be.

Here are some pictures, and the description you are all dying to know.

Fist of all, I usually recommend store brand products, in this recipe, you must use the name brand. It really does make a difference. RITZ crackers, JIF Peanut Butter, and good quality chocolate. And do what Ky, Nora, and their Great Grandma do:



When you are done with that part, and ONLY when you are done with that part, you are allowed to do this:


Then of course, what is peanut butter without chocolate? GOOD CHOCOLATE!




So that is the short and sweet of it! Put them in the fridge for a half an hour, then you are ready to enjoy! If you do decide to make this with your kids, here is a little look at what you are in for:

Germ free of course!


Happy but dirty, KEEP IT REAL folks! Have fun with it!



I had to add this one of Alie, because I LOVE HER!!!! (Don't be mad)


And this one of Matt... he deserved it!

I had to add this one, because this hasn't happened since I quit nursing last... December. I miss these sweet moments with my daughter.

Make 'em HAPPY-Monday!

I saw this great idea on a random blog! Since I had a bunch of grapes that were a day away from being mushy, and some sucker sticks that didn't get used for the baby shower I was planning, because the baby came early, I thought we would try it out.

Then stick 'em in the freezer for... several hours. These kids could only wait 4 hours...

WHEN ASKED IF THEY ENJOYED THEM:

Maggie: " I know that it took a really long time for them to freeze, it was worth waiting for becuase they were really yummy"!

Ryan: "They were stick-a-licious, juicy-a-licious, freez-a-licious. Get it?"

Me: "Nora, did you like them?"
Nora: "Yeah"
Me: "Were they freez-a-licious?"
Nora: "Yeah"
Me: "Anything else you want to say about these grape freeze things?"
Nora: "Yeah"
Me: "OK, What?"
Nora: "Mmmmore?"