Kids

  • Planet & Star Gazing

    Our Little Karlie Fox Checking Out Jupiter and its MoonOur Little Karlie Fox Checking Out Jupiter and its Moons

    The best evening the entire Christmas break to look at the stars was when it was 20 degrees outside!  All of us went out on the back deck to check out the beautiful night lights in our big sky.  We were able to see Jupiter and its moons!  So BEAUTIFUL!!!  It’s amazing that you can use a telescope to see so very far away.

    Karlie was so excited to see the moon, clusters of stars as well as Jupiter and its moons.  Brina looked for awhile but got chilly so went inside and wrapped in a blanket next to the fire.  Thankful for a chance to gaze at the stars with the family even if it was very chilly outside.

    Star GazingPlanet & star gazing on the back porch

  • Love My Family

    Jake Reading to the Girls

    My Handsome man reading to the girls.  Love listening to Jake reading to the girls.  Jake and the girls love history.  He was reading a book about the Christmas when Winston Churchill stayed in the White House.  The girls love reading and enjoy those moments when we can read to them.  Thankful for my family and seeing Jake reading with the girls warms my heart.

  • Family Game – Ticket to Ride

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    We got a game from my parents this Christmas called Ticket to Ride.  We’ve already played the game a couple of times and the kids love it!  It is a great game plus it is educational.  The girls have had fun learning the names of different cities across the map.  We even went through the map and pointed out all the places listed that we have been too together.  So cool looking at the map of the United States and laughing at all the great memories.

    Game - Ticket to Ride

    The board full of a rainbow of trains.  Karlie got the longest train and Brina was able to block her parents yet Jake still managed to pull off a win this round.  Although Brina was the champion our first round.   I had a lot of fun, but unfortunately I am not an expert at strategies with this game yet.  Love playing games and spending time with my family.

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    This is a great family game.  If you are looking for a wonderful and educational family game I would recommend it.  Our girls are 8 and they can play the game on their own yet it is enjoyable for us as parents too.

  • Creative Kids: New Hot Pads!

    Karlie’s colorful hot pad she made!

    The other day I was working on several items that needed to be done so the girls took some time to do some crafts.  I wasn’t sure what they were up to, but they were staying busy and being good.  The next morning I was presented with two brand new colorful hot pads!  One that Karlie had made and one from Brina! What a special treat it is to get such a sweet gift first thing in the morning.  Thankful for my thoughtful girls.  I am very blessed and will think of them every time I use their beautiful hot pads.

    Brina’s new hot pad she made for me!

    My beautiful new hot pads!  Love them and especially love the two sweet girls that made them for me.

  • Chef Brina

    Brina loves helping in the kitchen.  The other day she wanted to make blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  She did Christmas shapes and the letters for each family member which was a lot of fun.  The pancakes turned out amazing.  She did an awesome job making breakfast.  Love seeing my girls get excited about helping in the kitchen.  They are growing up fast and learning so much.  I have really been enjoying having my girls home for the Christmas Holiday.

    My snowman pancake made by Brina

    Jake got a candy cane – the red is blended strawberries (love using strawberries on our pancakes!)

  • Dear Mom…

    Dear Mom,

    I love you Mom!  Can you read to us?  Skipper loved her bone.  As I write this letter Skipper is looking at me.  Can you play with me Mommy?  I love to play.  It is cold outside.  I had a fun day.   Love, Brina

    I found this letter and picture one morning from my sweet Brina.  These little gestures from my family makes my heart want to burst.  Not every day is perfect or easy as a parent so seeing these sweet letters totally make my day brighter!  In case your wondering, yes we read, played, and had fun together that day.  Love my family!

  • Dairy & Egg Free Sugar Cookies

    3D Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

    My friend Ashley at Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life brought over some amazing Christmas cookies earlier this month.  They were delicious and they were a huge hit with our family!  We have one family member that is not eating dairy and eggs so I adjusted Ashley’s recipe a little bit and the cookies came out delicious and beautiful (you would never know they didn’t have eggs and dairy)!  My Mom gave the girls these super cute 3D Christmas trees which the girls loved decorating and putting together.  Thankful for some time to spend with the family and enjoy special treats!

    Sugar Cookies

    • 1 1/2 cups Non-Dairy Butter (soy or almond), softened
    • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
    • 4 Egg Substitutes (Ener-G Egg Replacer is our favorite and lasts a long time too)
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 5 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    Cream non-dairy butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg substitute and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.  Place cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
    Next day:  Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.  Cool completely.
    We decorated some of the cookies with sprinkles prior to baking.  The remaining cookies we decorated with icing after cooking.
    Cookie Icing
    • 1 pound Powdered Sugar
    • 1 stick Non-Dairy Butter
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 1/4 cup Non-Dairy Cream (coconut, almond, or soy milk)
    • Add Food Color or divide in multiple bowls and create a variety of colors

    Blend together all the ingredients until smooth.  Chose one food color or divide up into multiple bowls and a variety of colors.

    A batch of the girls decorated cookies

  • SMILING IT FORWARD™ with Tylenol®

    The makers of TYLENOL® were so inspired by the “feel better” smiles shared organically by moms across the country online that they’ve teamed up with How I Met Your Mother star and mom of two, Alyson Hannigan, to launch the SMILING IT FORWARD™ campaign

    Today I’m SMILING IT FORWARD™  because there’s nothing in this world that makes me smile more than seeing my children happy and healthy!

    Our girls were born 7 weeks early so they started out in the NICU.  We have made numerous trips to the pediatrician and various doctors over the past few years.  You know you’ve been to the doctor a lot when you are on first name basis with the staff at the doctor’s office!

    As a mom I have learned that one of the most stressful times is when your child is sick, especially as infants when they cannot tell you what hurts.  I usually see the first sign of sickness in my daughter’s eyes then I start noticing that she’s not really playing or acting like her normal cheery self.  Sometimes if I catch it early enough we can ward off the sickness or at least lessen the severity of it, with some extra liquids and rest.  But, unfortunately it is not always possible to get them feeling better before the full sickness sets in.

    Sick kids usually mean more snuggles and attention from mom.  It also usually results in a tired mom who is being woken up in the middle of the night, running to the store for extra Gatorade, holding a cool cloth on their forehead while waiting for the medicine to kick in, encouraging them to eat or drink tidbits, cleaning up sick messes, and many more tasks.  While a sick kid is exhausting for mom that moment when she gets to feeling better and you see that smile break free it is worth it all.   Shortly after you see that smile you know she’ll be back to her happy self soon!

    Here’s the picture I shared on SMILING IT FORWARD™

    What makes you smile? What picture will you share?

    More About SMILING IT FORWARD™

    Between September 17, 2013 and January 31, 2014, McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®, is inviting anyone 18 and older to share a photo that makes them smile on SmilingItForward.com. Each photo approved & shared will trigger a $1.00 donation from TYLENOL® to Children’s Health Fund, with a minimum donation of $75,000 and a maximum donation of $100,000. Review Terms and Conditions for complete program details. For information about Children’s Health Fund, visit www.childrenshealthfund.org

    In addition to sharing your photos, you can also visit:

    I have received information and products from McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks.

  • Thankful for My Family and so Much More!

    Thankful for sweet girls who made me a “special” breakfast.

    There is magic at our house! Every night I lay out all the non-perishable items (cups, plates, bread, english muffins, or bagels, etc…) that I need to make breakfast the next morning, however, this week by the time I get to the kitchen breakfast has been made for the whole family and the kids are already eating! It’s like breakfast has magically appeared every morning (and there’s no mess either)! This morning I must have been extra good because I got more than the normal Tuesday Toast! Thankful for my sweet girls!  I saved the sweets that they gave me for breakfast for later so I could share them!

    Thankful for kids who love making crafts and expressing their appreciation

    Karlie’s turkey from school. She had the most turkey feathers out of all the students in her class, her reason “I have so much to be THANKFUL for in my life!” Not sure if you can read the feathers they say – friends, social studies, love, food, life to live, teacher, pets & animals, family

    Thankful for hot chocolate

    Made hot chocolate and apple cider for my two chickies since it was a cold and rainy afternoon.  They enjoyed their hot treat after school.

    Thankful for a husband who plays games with the family

    We figured out that Jake has the steadiest hand in our family.  Karlie is watching him carefully so she’ll be ready for her next turn.

    Thankful for kids who enjoy playing games

    We played Kerplunk and Jenga tonight. After a few close calls we did manage to get quite a tall Jenga tower before it came crashing down. Here’s a picture of Brina focusing on her turn. Thankful for some fun with the family tonight!

    There is so much to be thankful for today and really every day of my life!