Hold On To The Children

During the last General Conference, Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President, gave a great talk about holding on to our children to help them through life. Here are some of my favorite quotes from that talk:

At age seven, Joseph Smith contracted typhoid fever, and an infection settled in his leg. Dr. Nathan Smith was pioneering a procedure by which the infected leg could be saved. Without anesthesia, Dr. Smith would need to cut Joseph’s leg and actually remove portions of the infected bone. Joseph declined brandy to endure the pain and refused to be tied down but said, “I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary.”

Parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, Primary leaders—each of us can reach out to hold on to the children. We can stop, kneel down, and look into their eyes and feel of their innate desire to follow the Savior. Take hold of their hands. Walk with them. It is our chance to anchor them on the path of faith.

What trials will our children face? Like Joseph Smith, our children can find the courage to “do whatever is necessary.” When we are intentional about holding them and teaching them of Heavenly Father’s plan through prayer and scriptures, they will come to know where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going.

Alma 24:14.....He loveth our souls as well as He loveth our children, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?

One of our recent random library picks was a gold mine...Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? by John Butler. It is such a cute book...perfect before bedtime with adorable illustrations of animals. Each page is a different animal asking if you can do something that the animal does. Yesterday I walked in on Nathan "reading" the book and performing the different actions. It was so funny! This is one that I would like to buy...it's a keeper!

Swiss Chicken

This is one of Eric's favorite recipes. His mom made it when he was growing up and one day he made it for me and it has become a favorite at our house as well. It is so easy and very good...my kind of recipe!

Swiss Chicken

• 4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces
• 1 box of low sodium chicken Stove Top stuffing mix
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 8 slices of swiss cheese

Prepare Stove Top according to directions. Lay chicken pieces on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Put swiss cheese on top of the chicken and spread the cream of chicken soup on top of the cheese. Put prepared Stove Top over all. Cover with foil and cook for 50 minutes at 350. Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Patch

How do you fix a broken jack-o-lantern?

....................

With a Pumpkin Patch

Which is just where we went today.

In search of the perfect pumpkin.

Some were just right...

for taking a break...this is hard work!

Mission accomplished...pumpkins just our size!

Indiana Grandma

If you haven't caught on by now...I have an AMAZING grandma who has done some spooktakular parties! Here is another one of my favorites: Indiana Grandma

This is pretty long...but it is SO FUN and really encourages imagination. She gave us each one of my Grandpa's old hats and black jackets and a whip (I don't know where she got whips but you could use a licorice whip) and led us on a hunt through her house (each room had bats, or skeletons, or snakes to go along with the story) to the Mummy's Tomb:

As archeologists, our aim is clear
We've a job to do, so listen here.
The treasure map shows the lost tomb of the mummies,
They've been wrapped up for centuries --even their tummies.

We'll travel high and we'll travel low,
Our guide will show us where to go.
We may have trouble along the way,
But Indiana Grandma will save the day.

So hold onto your whip in case of snakes
Or maybe we better take our rakes.
Our first stop will be the cave of the bats.
If they don't get us, then it could be rats.
(a room with a table and bats hanging from under the table that the kids crawl through)

The map takes us now to a dreadful place
Be careful, don't slip and fall on your face.
This place is said to be under a curse.
Could this be the Mummy's tomb, or something worse?
(A room with a spooky witch hanging up)

Let's go up the hill now and through a canyon
To a place that is more than you can imagine.
Oh, look! Here's one who was one of our own...
A poor archeologist, he didn't make it, look at his bones.
(A room with a skeleton wearing the hat and coat)

Back down the hill now, will we ever arrive?
The map is so faded, can we survive?
Oh look! Someone's been here long before us.
There's enough hanging here to make a chorus.
(Closet with skeletons hanging)

There's only one more place on this map.
Hold on to your whips, don't be a sap.
Could this be the legendary Temple of Doom?
Or is it what we're seeking...the Mummy's Tomb?
(Going toward the garage)

Open the door now, try not to fear.
Remember Indiana Grandma is still here.
Her love will protect us as we enter this place,
Unless it happens to be full of snakes.
(Enter the garage)

Wow!! Look at this place...what have we here?
The skulls are so thick, try to duck them, my dear.
A man-eating insect covers the ceiling.
Don't let him grab you or you'll end up his feeding.
(Giant plastic spider on the ceiling and plastic skulls hanging down)

Before we go on, let's rest for a bit.
I'm sure some refreshment would make a hit.
Remember Wicked Wanda and Old Spooky Sam?
You only needed to hold out your hand.
But now you face a really hard test,
To find the Mummy will take your total best.
(sit down on blankets in the garage)

This place isn't great, and we'll have to make do.
And so we're in a real bind too.
We'll have to eat what we can find,
So it might be best if you eat it blind.

So pull your hat down over your eyes...
Open your mouth and expect a surprise.
Don't be squeamish, it wouldn't be cool.
If it gets too bad, spit it out in the pool.

First of all, Indiana Grandma found a snake on the trail,
She cut off its rattle and cooked it's tail. (chicken bone candy)

She scooped out the remains from that fellow we saw.
I hear intestines are quite good when eaten raw. (cooked manicotti tube)

She gathered some of the bats that fell from the ground,
Pulled out their eye balls, most of them were round. (milk duds)

As you can see, there's spider webs all over the place,
They really are quite delicious to taste.  (cotton candy)

I know this sounds awful and you might have to gag it,
but we need the protein found in this maggot. (piece of gummy worm)

We know you're all thirsty and our canteens are dry.
This is new, but give it a try.
We understand snake venom is smooth as silk...
Some say it tastes a little like chocolate milk. (chocolate milk)

Remember my adventures in the Temple of Doom?
It was almost like being in this room.
Monkey brains were on the menu there.
They're really not bad if you take off the hair. (Jello square)

Now for dessert, Indiana Grandma has a special treat...
She clipped the toenails from those rat's feet. (piece of potato chip)

By now, your tummies should all be full.
It was delicious and certainly not dull.
Now, on we must go, our goal is in sight.
The Mummy awaits us, we'll reach it tonight.

Let's pick up the trail, what's around this bend?
Oh, I think we may be at our journey's end.
Could this be the treasure we've searched for all day?
It is, we've found it---Hooray! Hooray!

Here is the treasure the Mummy hands guard.
It's almost too big to fit on this card.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
Remember our Halloween parties and
Know that your Grand-Mummy loves you!
(A bag of candy with a note from my Grandma)

--Lovingly and Laughingly written by Indiana Grandma--

I will always remember our Halloween parties and know that my Grandma loves me! Not just because of the fun parties...but because she give her time, talents, and devotion to her family.

SUPER Costumes

I am kind of weird when it comes to costumes...I like to have a family theme each year so that we all go together. I was ready to throw in the towel on this tradition this year because I just wasn't feelin' it..that is until I found this great tutorial and template for capes. And POW!, we became the SUPER Family.

We have Super Dad who wears his tool belt loaded with diapers, wipes, a remote, and tools; Super Mom who wears an apron loaded with diapers, wipes, and a duster; Super Baby who wears a bib with the same logo and a diaper; and Super Man and Bat Man. Kaylee is a 50's Girl...and she looks super! She wasn't too excited about the whole super hero theme.

Here are some of our themes from years past:

2009: Ninjas and a Geisha 

2008: The Chipmunks

2007: Knight Protecting the Princess from the Fierce Dragon

2006: The Four Amigos

2005: Old McDonald Family

2004: Clowns

Have a SUPER Halloween!

If Mama Had Said There'd Be Days Like This

If Mama had said there'd be days like this last week:

• I had just finished deep cleaning my kitchen floors - down on my hands and knees clean - when I notice footprints...not just any footprints. These were footprints of poop tracked ALL OVER my clean floor. As I am cleaning this up I hear a CRASH. The same little person that the footprints belonged to decided to have a pillow fight...throwing a pillow at a lamp and shattering glass ALL OVER the carpet. Uuuuugggg!
• I am down helping Kaylee with her piano practicing when I hear some unusual noises then dead silence...bad sign! I go upstairs to find a dozen eggs broken and dripping all over a shelf in the refrigerator with a little person scrambling them with a whisk.

Mom, thanks for NOT telling me there'd be days like this! I am sure that I gave you some crazy days as well.

Now on to this week...what will it hold. Don't tell me Mama! Silver lining: I now have an extra clean kitchen floor, my carpet is vacuumed extra well, and I was forced to clean out the fridge.

Messenger of Encouragement

Yesterday, as I was grocery shopping with Travis, I turned to pick out some bananas and there, with his wife, was President Eyring (1st counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church). He said "hello" to me and I asked if I could shake his hand. In just that simple act I could feel the Holy Ghost testify to me that he is a true and living apostle. He noticed Travis and told me that I am lucky to have such a beautiful, blue eyed, blond baby. I have to agree 100 percent! Later in my shopping expedition, as I was picking out soup, President Eyring needed help finding the cream of celery soup. It just made my day being in his presence. I felt so happy and loved, and being with him at a grocery store for just minutes made me want to be a better person. What an impact the Lord's messengers have!

In General Conference this month President Eyring said, "Your needs are great and varied. Each of you is a unique child of God. God knows you individually. He sends messages of encouragement, correction, and direction fitted to you and to your needs."

Luke 12:6-7: Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

If God knows even the sparrows, then he sure knows us and knows what we need.

President Eyring was my "messenger" of encouragement yesterday....just what I needed!

The Hunger Games

Yes, I have joined bandwagon and read The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins and I am so glad that I did. It is so good, well written, original, thought provoking...one of those books that I just couldn't put down because each chapter brings about something totally unexpected and exciting.

The Hunger Games is hard to explain, and if I attempted to write what it is about I would make it sound really weird. So I will just say that I thought that it was a cross between Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game and the reality show "Survivor". 24 children are not only trying to "Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast" each other; they are also trying to Outlive each other to be the sole survivor of the Hunger Games.

I am excited to read the next book in the series, Catching Fire.

Easy Lasagna and Garlic Bread

I love this recipe...it is so easy to put together, doesn't take a lot of ingredients, and tastes great!

Easy Peasy Lasagna

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 30 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• about 8 lasagna noodles uncooked

Brown ground beef or turkey. Add spaghetti sauce and water and remove from heat. In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese and mozzarella. In a 9x13 pan layer in the following order: sauce, uncooked noodles, cheese mixture and repeat. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 375.

Garlic Bread

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1/2 package of Italian dressing mix
• 1/2 cup butter softened

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Combine dressing mix and butter and spread on both sides. Put the bread back together, wrap in foil, and bake at 325 for about 20 minutes or until hot. (I just threw mine in the last 20 minutes of the lasagna cook time and it turned out great.)

Enjoy!

Funny Mummy

I love Halloween. I love the decorations. I love the fun traditions. I love the candy. I love the weather. I love dressing up. I love the FUN!

The kids and I made some funny mummy faces to decorate our home. Here is what you need:

• paper plates
• white paper torn into strips
• circles for eyeballs
• glue stick
• black sharpie 

Glue the eyes on the plate and then glue the paper strips on as well (not covering the eyes) to make a mummy face. Then draw a silly expression on your Funny Mummy.

Super easy, inexpensive, and cute...my kind of craft!

Wicked Wanda

Last week I introduced my Grandma's fun tradition of grossing out her grandkids with "Spooky Sam". Here is another version:

Wicked Wanda

Do you remember old Spooky Sam? He didn't want to come again, so away he ran.

So tonight we have a brand new guest,

Her name's Wicked Wanda--as witches go, she's one of the best.

She'll make for us a yucky brew

I don't dare taste it, how about you?

The first ingredient Grandma will hate,

Cause it's the slithery skin of a scary old snake! (cooked lasagna noodle cut in half)

Next came the wings of a vampire bat

That sounds pretty bad, what do you think of that? (piece of fruit leather)

Next, we have the skull of a troll,

She plucked off his hair and kept it in a bowl. (a whole coconut)

She saved the hair for a good reason too.

She throws it in next to turn her brew blue. (corn silk from corn on the cob)

Next comes some lizard lips to add a real zing,

This witch is really a real ding-a-ling. (mandarin oranges)

Then she skinned a fat old toad

and left him naked on the side of the road (avocado peal)

A rat's tail will add that special taste

If she'd use the whole rat, it wouldn't go to waste. (end of a fresh beat)

Next she snatched an alligator eye

It goes in the brew, and that's no lie. (avocado pit)

She got the hide from a porcupine,

Thanks to the help of Frankenstein. (peel from fresh pineapple)

Black widow spider legs are necessary too.

Without them, we just wouldn't have the right brew. (tops of green onions)

When mummies got wrapped up, you know,

They lose their belly buttons, isn't that so? (olive)

(the following things are in boxes with a hole in the side to put hand in and feel)

The stuff in this box came from Jurassic Park.

It's the real dinosaur poop, does that give you a start? (peeled kiwi)

The werewolf is also here tonight,

Here's his eyelids, to give you a fright. (kiwi peel)

Next, she snatched the wart from a friend.

It was covered in buggers from end to end. (ends of green onions in egg whites)

On the way home one night she found a road kill.

The guts were still fresh, does it give you a chill? (insides of cantaloupe or pumpkin)

When you feel the next one don't let your lips quiver--

Remember old Spooky Sam, she cut out his liver. (Jello in a surgical glove)

And that completes our witch's brew...

Who'll be the first to drink it? Wicked Wanda dares you!!!

Cramped to Cribbed

"Uh guys...I'm a little cramped in this bassinet! Give a guy some room PLEASE!"

"Aaaahhhh, now that's what I am talking about, with room to grow."

Travis has moved out of our room and into his room that he shares with Nathan...what a big kid! It is nice to reclaim our bedroom again...although it is often invaded, overtaken, and plundered...it is nice to have a space of my own...some of the time at least.

Decaying Derby

Kaylee is a hoarder and here is proof:
Remember this veggie derby car?

Well, Kaylee didn't want to throw it away so she put it on the top of her bookcase to save. And here it is now:

It is now a moldy, shriveled, decaying, putrid thing. But I am bound and determined to see how long she will keep it. I put a rag under it to catch all of the decomposing drippage. I really hope that this will prove a point that YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYTHING!!! I just hope she gets the point soon...this is really grossing me out!

S.M.I.L.E

2 Nephi 9:39 -  O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.

Did you catch that?? To be Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal...it will make us happy...so SMILE :)

Kaylee Clean Your Room

My post about Nathan Clean Your Room reminded me of a book that has been forgotten in Kaylee's mess of a bookshelf, a story that Kaylee really needs to read again! It is called Kaylee Clean Your Room by Diane McAffee. It is the story of a girl, Kaylee, who doesn't like to clean her room. One day her parents decide to just close her door and let the mess just accumulate. Soon a family of grasshoppers and guinea pigs move into the messy room. Then a family of beavers is needed to build a dam in the doorway to keep things from falling out. Eventually a dragon moves in because dragons love yucky, stinky, dirty places. Kaylee comes to realize that keeping her room clean is much better than the alternative.

I need to have Kaylee read this book again....especially with her veggie derby car that is rotting on her shelf. I am sure that she will have some uninvited guests coming to visit her room as well if she doesn't clean up soon. I am conducting a little experiment...to be like the parents in this book. I am going to wait and see how long it takes Kaylee to get rid of her car without forcing her to...along with tons of other things that she is hording. I will keep you updated, I am sure that the car will get pretty gross...perhaps even end up as a nasty puddle on her shelf. I better put a towel under it so that it doesn't ruin anything!

Goblin Soup Goop with Witch Fingers

As promised...no more desserts for a while. Instead I have a fun dinner that would be great before trick-or-treating.

Goblin Soup (Veggie Beef Soup)

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 small onion chopped
• 6 cups hot water
• 3 beef bullion cubes
• 4 carrots pealed and diced
• 4 potatoes pealed and diced
• 1 small yellow squash diced
• 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans drained
• 1 packet of taco seasoning (optional)
• salt and pepper

Brown ground beef or turkey in a large soup pot. Add onions until soft. Add the remaining ingredients...add any veggie that sounds good to you or taco seasoning for an extra kick. Bring to a boil and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Witch Fingers

• 12 frozen rolls
• Almonds
• 1 egg
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp baking soda

Let rolls come to room temperature or follow the speed thaw directions on package using the microwave. Roll each piece until the dough forms a long finger shape that is about 3-4 inches long. Pinch the dough in two places to form knuckles.

Transfer about 6 fingers at a time to 3 quarts of simmering water with the baking soda in it. Leave them in for 1 minute. This is to keep the dough from rising too much. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fingers to a greased baking sheet. 

Beat the egg with 1 Tbsp water. Brush the fingers with the egg wash. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score each knuckle two our three times. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and push the almond into the top to make the nail. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown..about 12 to 15 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Veggie Derby

Kaylee and Eric went to a Daddy-Daughter activity that sounded so fun...a veggie derby. Like the pine-wood derby that the Scouts do only they made the cars out of veggies. They made the body of the car out of a squash, tires out of potatoes, and all kinds of veggie accessories. Then Kaylee raced her car down a long table slanted upwards against some of her friends. What a cute idea!

Check out some of the other cars...I love the Flintstone looking one:

The only problem...Kaylee loves to save EVERYTHING. Her car is on top of her bookshelf "hidden" from me so that I won't throw it away. The tires are now shriveled and black and the "man" on top is decomposing. 

Spooky Sam

I have an amazing Grandma...one who loves to create fun family traditions. One of those is a yearly Halloween party that she started for her grandkids when I was 3 and continues today with my kids. She goes ALL OUT with a spooky dinner, treasure hunt, fish pond, cake walk, and "Spooky Sam". Spooky Sam is a poem that she reads to us about Spooky Sam's body parts. While she reads, we close our eyes and hold out our hands to feel and even taste (if you are brave enough) the different parts correlating with the story. For the next Wednesday's Words, I want to share some of my favorite versions of Grandma's Spooky Sam.

Spooky Sam:

• Spooky Sam is our Halloween ghost, and today his body will be our host. Here comes pieces of his teeth. (candy corn)
• You don't suppose this was Sam's nose? (piece of string cheese)
• Please don't linger, here comes his finger. (carrot stick or whole green bean)
• Better beware, this was Sam's hair. (shredded coconut)
• I know this sounds a little grim, but this was once inside of him. (a small square of Jello)
• Hold on to your hat, here's a great big gob of his fat. (small ball of butter)
• And here it appears, are what's left of his ears. (piece of green pepper)
• He was really thin, but here's part of his skin. (thin, sliced deli meat)
• There were lots of songs that he once sung. Of course, he can't do it now, cause here's his tongue. (piece of thick sliced bologna)
• Tonight if you hear a long, low moan, it's poor old Sam looking for his bone. (marshmallow circus peanut)
• Or, you might just hear a scream of pain, cause Sam might come lookin' for his veins. (licorice lace)
• You'd think Sam would come out of the rain, but he can't think, cause here's his brain. (scrambled eggs)
• Now, don't be naughty and say this is his bummy, cause its really only a piece of his tummy. (marshmallow)
• Now don't be shy, in this dish you will feel his eyes. (bottles cherries)
• Now there's absolutely no ifs, ands, or buts. In this box has got to be part of his guts. (cooked spaghetti drizzled with oil)
• And this is the really scary part...in this box is Sam's very own heart! (a latex glove with the two middle fingers tied down. Poor Jello into the glove and tie shut. Put in the fridge to set up then pass around to feel)
• Sam's nose was so runny, he blew a big dish of buggers. Now isn't that funny? (egg whites)
• His blood was all clotted and full of cholesterol. No wonder his veins just wouldn't work at all. (unbeaten eggs floating in a dish with squares of Jello floating around)
• The last thing Sam did was barf in his sleep. See if you can tell what he just had to eat. (insides of a pumpkin, egg shells, and small pieces of canned fruit)

My Grandma wrote, "The more sane parts of this little story came from a little book called Parties Kids Will Love that I obtained from Current, Inc. The grosser and yucky parts, I hate to say, came from what's left of my brain."

This is SO FUN and GROSS at the same time. Thanks for the great tradition Grandma!!

GOOOOOAL!!!

Kaylee has just finished soccer for the fall and she made her goal. No, she never made an actual goal...but more importantly she accomplished what she had set out to do when she started soccer. She had fun. She ran fast. She learned new skills and positions. She was a GREAT defender and kept other people from making goals. And she was a great team player. Way to go Kaylee!

Nathan, Clean Your Room!

The other day I asked Nathan to clean his room and this is what he interpreted as clean:

He had cleaned out his bookcase, toy box, closet shelves...every shelf and storage bin was empty and "clean". I guess next time I need to be more specific. On the bright side...he obeyed.

Fear Not; I Will Help Thee

This year I have made a goal to read the Old Testament by following along with the Sunday School Study Guide. I have really learned a lot. The last few weeks I have been reading in Isaiah...which honestly I was dreading because it can be so hard to understand. But I have read some GREAT scriptures from Isaiah:

Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Isaiah 41:13 - "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

There have been many times in my life when I have felt strengthened when I was afraid, held when I needed comfort, and helped when I had no where else to turn. I know that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are there for us, waiting to reach out and strengthen, comfort, and help us...all we have to do is ask.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Here is a cute little Halloween story that Aaron wrote and illustrated last year (1st grade):

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

By Aaron

There once lived an old lady who was not afraid of anything. She was very brave.

One day she was walking in the woods to get some berries.

But all of a sudden a pair of pants popped right in front of her.

It said "zip, zip." But she just walked past it.

But the noise she could hear behind her was "zip, zip".

But she still walked past it.

But then a shirt came and it said, "pop, pop".

But she just walked past it too.

She did not like this. So she just kept on walking.

But then a pair of shoes popped in front of her.

They said "snap, snap."

But then she noticed that they just wanted a job.

So she gave them a job.

The job was to scare away the crows.

Layered Mint Chocolate Brownies

As promised, here is the recipe for the mint brownies that we made to pass along to our neighbors. I was looking back on previous Friday's posts and realized that I have done lots of desserts so I promise that this will be the last goody for a while...this recipe is just too good not to share. These are SO GOOD!

Layered Mint Chocolate Brownies
--Worldwide Ward Cookbook, Susan Moser
Brownie:

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Mix butter, cocoa, and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in flour. Spread into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Mint Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1-3 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp mint extract
• green food coloring

Mix butter and powdered sugar. Add only enough milk to make a smooth consistency. Add mint extract and enough food coloring for a light green color. Frosting will be thick. Spread over browned layer. Refrigerate until firm.

Chocolate Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for 1 minute. Stir and put back in for 30 second increments, stirring each time until melted and combined. Pour over frosted brownies, covering completely. Refrigerate until topping is set and hardened. Let brownies sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into 24 small squares with sharp knife.

Enjoy!!

Pudding Painting

I have our paints locked up and rarely get them out because they are such a mess to clean up. This activity was great because the kids just licked up their messes. I gave Izy (my niece) and Nathan a pudding cup and paper during snack time and let them create while they ate:

As you can see, they loved it!