King Cake ... well, sort of

While flour-less and car-less today, I decided I wanted to make a King Cake for Fat Tuesday. My friend, Dawn, a true Southerner, suggested that I use refrigerated cinnamon roll dough, which Michael kindly picked up for my on his way home from work.

Here is my picture of my "King Cake":


While enjoying our Cake, we explained to the kids who the true King is, what Lent is, how we give things up for Lent. Sophia said she was going to give up her baby dolls for Lent. WOW! Then she said, "I have something else I can give up." Both Michael & I were eager to hear her new ideas. Very matter-of-factly she said, "School." How fast they learn!!!

Chef Boyar-yuck

As I was growing up, I watched my fair share of television. I remember commercials for Chef Boyardee. Surely, it must be something wonderful. Tasty...fun...yummy...right?

I bought a can of Chef Boyardee's Mini-Bites. What better way to encourage letters and numbers for my budding five-year old almost reader. I opened the can, warmed it up, and ... yuck. Neither Sophia nor Will would eat it. So, I tasted it. My taste-buds are a little off right now because of a cold, but they are right. It really doesn't taste very good. Spongy pasta in a too sweet red sauce. All my childhood Chef Boyardee illusions burst. I guess we'll stick with peanut-butter and jelly on homemade bread!

Letter of the Week ???

I am super behind on my Letter of the Week posting. We've actually not been keeping up with it as Sophia started coloring a new "Letter Person" each day after Christmas. Our entire back sliding glass door, front door and some of our coat closet has the finished Letter product posted on them. We play a "Letter Game of Mystery" in which the Contestant (Sophia or Will) must identify the letter and sound of each Letter Person as the Host (Mom or Dad) slowly unveil them WHILE speaking in a funny voice. It is a lot of fun and the kids get marshmallows when they are finished. Nicholas has quickly taken to loving mini-marshmallows!

She has begun blending sounds pretty well using magnetic letters. There are many she has already mastered and I add more each day. Mostly two lettered sounds and words, some three letter words like Mom, Dad, God. Another game we have been playing is for each letter flashcard or word/sound flashcard she identifies correctly, she jumps up a step on the staircase. I guess you can say she is getting her exercise too!

Weekend Pix with Grandparents

We had a visit from Grandparents this weekend.

Here are some pix of my Mom & Dad with the kids:

Before they left on Monday morning. Kids still in their PJs.

Grandpa Bear with Nicholas & Sophia.

This was sweet of Sophia & my Mom.

One of Will's birthday presents: cowboy hat & light saber!

He usually wears his cape with it also. He told me he was BATMAN!

Go figure?!

Make a donation to help...

the Octuplets born in January: http://www.thenadyasulemanfamily.com/

I don't know the entire situation. All I know is that it is hard and costly to take care of newborns - no matter the size of the family. These babies need help.

Let's step up to the plate.

Grandparent Visit

Michael's parents visited us this weekend for Will's 3rd Birthday. We had 9" of snow on the ground for the kids and Grandpa to play in. They made these mini-snowmen.

Classic Grandpa-Grandkids photo!

Snow Angels!

Will & Nicholas in matching "flying" hoodies.

Grandma has good taste in kids' clothes!

Will's Birthday Weekend

My second-born is turning 3 this week so we had a little party for him at the local children's museum. Below are some of the pictures.

Will is crazy about airplanes right now, so I put one of his jets on top of his three-layer cake. I'm so glad that 3 year old children are so easy to please!

Other milestones for Will include wearing pull-up "underwear" and working on weaning. He is even learning his letter sounds now as Sophia is working on them in school!

He is such a sweet boy!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Will!

Cleaning Schedules

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time keeping my household clean and tidy. No surprise here! I usually do my all-out cleaning with chemicals once a month or right before company is coming. Boy - I wonder where I picked up that cleaning gene?

Anyway, I found this cleaning schedule through a Mommies Network Community I visit. The schedule is broken up into daily, weekly and monthly tasks. I don't know if I can stick to it, but I'm going to try.

BTW, that local forum I mentioned has been really useful. I've been able to connect with other local Moms on-line and also in-person. Many communities have these same forums. You might check your own community for one....

K, L, M Weeks

Starting our 3rd Quarter of school, here is the list of books we've been reading for the past several weeks:

Kamishibai Man by Allen Say - really liked this tale of a Japanese storyteller vs modernity.
Here's That Kitten by Maria Polushkin
Kaya's Kindergarten and the Letter K by Cynthia Klingel - just discovered this series. Great for beginning learners.
Phonics Friends: Kella's Kitten by Joanne Meier
Kangaroo's Adventure in Alphabet Town by Janet McDonnell
The Kweeks of Kookatumdee by Bill Peet - of course, we all loved this rhyming story by Mr. Peet.
Never, EVER Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson - very cute story.
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen - All of us like this story & the illustrations. Really, who wouldn't want a lovable lion at the library?
The Lemondade Club by Patricia Polacco - a little too heavy for Kindergarteners. About cancer.
Leila at the Library and the Letter L by Cynthia Klingel
Oh, Look! by Patricia Polacco - cute rhyming story.
Phonics Friends: Lilly's Lost Lunch by Joanne Meier -
Mouse's Adventure in Alphabet Town by Janet McDonnell - kids loved this one as well as the K story.

Mommy's favorite this time around from the Library: Light and Easy Cookbook (from Cooking Light). I've discovered the cookbook section at the library! I don't know why I never thought to look up cookbooks before. I've borrowed several great ones - one on biscotti, one on waffles, one on Christmas cookies.