Peaceful Meadows

One of our first stops on our trip back home was here, since we stayed in Bridgewater it was right up the street and who doesn't love homemade ice cream?  There were only two cows in the barn when we went but the kids were fine with that, they really only paid attention to the baby anyway.  I think we got there at 11am right when it opened, we must have had ice cream for lunch that day...

so yummy

First day of school 2011

Ok so I haven't blogged in over 20 days, we've been a bit busy here, ending the summer with a trip home and getting everyone ready for the new school year.  I'm gonna start with today and work backwards, it's probably gonna take a while to get all caught up.

The three big kids started school today and it went a lot smoother than I expected.  I knew O would be fine and Keira isn't bothered by anything really but I thought Fin might be a bit hesitant with me leaving her there, everyone ran out of the car and didn't even look back!  The two girls have Mrs Sheppard (O's teacher from last year) and O has Miss Perez, they all said they had a great day at school.  I asked everyone their favorite part: Keira - wearing the princess dresses and necklaces, Fin - playing on the playground with brother and Keira, O - seeing his friend Mateo again after summer break.  Here's to many more happy school days!

Love K and O holding hands

brother will help you at school today girls

the girls waiting at pickup with the rest of their class

Can you braid my hair like Mariah?

We I am getting ready for our trip home, trying to pack all the stuff we'll need for the two weeks is getting harder with each child we add to this family.  Our next door neighbor is gong to watch Mason for us while we're gone, her name is Mariah.  Her whole head is done in long braids and the girls are totally smitten with her pretty hair.  She's been coming over at night to get used to Mason since she's never had a pet before so every time she comes the girls are all over her and her braids.  They keep asking me to do their hair like hers and they just don't understand why it can't be done.  Peanut decided she would do it herself since I couldn't do it, here is her attempt.

My assistants

I'm running out of ideas for indoor activities, it's been over 100 degrees here for over 30 days and this week is suppose to get even hotter... We've been doing some baking and the girls love to help (Binney eats batter every time I turn away).  I think this photo is helping make oatmeal raisin cookies.  I usually eat oatmeal for breakfast but we are out of the steel cut oats that we use so I decided to sneak it into some cookies.  Did you know that oatmeal is great for boosting a nursing mothers milk supply, that's why I try to eat so much, you can never have too much milk for the growing baby!

salted toffee chocolate squares

I made these treats for a girls night out I went to, they were super easy and yummy.  I got the recipe from the Martha Stewart food magazine which always has great easy recipes in it.

graham crackers
1 bag (8oz) toffee bits
11/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (4oz) bittersweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
3/4tsp coarse salt

preheat oven to 350, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching.  Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

in a small saucepan bring sugar and butter to a boil over med-high heat, reduce to rapid simmer and cook until mixture is syrupy (a few minutes).  immediately pour over graham crackers and bake until sugar is bubbling 12 minutes.  remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers.  remove from pan and let cool slightly, use sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into squares and let cool completely.  enjoy!

Let me do your hair

The girls want to do my hair all the time and while I let them most of the time there are times when doing something else (cooking/dishes/laundry).  Peanut decided sweet pea would be the next best thing so she has now started torturing doing her "hair" as well.  This blow dryer actually works, makes noise and blows out cool air.

"sit still so I can dry your hair"

help mom

"you look so pretty, all done and now you get a pop"

Since O has been gone for a little over a week we've done some girly things that we don't normally do with him.  We went to a breakfast tea here, the girls got tea sandwiches and iced tea (we are in texas after all) and had a blast.  They got their hair cut at a regular salon (no more kids salons for us), which is their all time favorite thing to do (maybe it's the relaxing shampoo that gets them).  We've gone out to dinner a few times, they love going to eat at a restaurant since we hardly ever go with all four of them.  They still ask for brother several times a day and miss him a lot but do enjoy having the run of the house.

Teething cookies

I made Norah some teething cookies since she wants to eat anything I am eating, this way she can hold her own food and nosh away while we're eating ours.  I had made them earlier in the day and put them in the oven to dry out, totally forgot about them until Kev asked what was in the oven.  I cooked them until they were brown and after all of the drying and cooking they're totally crumb free and comparable to a hockey puck, yum!  I get most of her babyfood recipes from here, they have tons of homemade recipes and tips.  You can see how much she liked them and yes we finally got her a highchair, she's getting to be such a big girl.