OUR TEAM


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Friday, October 11, 2013

Trainer Notes: Stop Growing Already!

So the boys decided they needed to go through their pants to see if they fit.  The temperature has dropped down in the 50's the last couple of nights.  So of course that means they have been digging into their winter clothes, because they are "freezing"! LOL

The entire fashion show was a hoot.  They are so dramatic.  Eli was so sad that his two pair of corduroy pants don't fit anymore.  "Oh NO these were my favorite pants because they are so comfy!"

Behold, my growing little weeds!


Do you think they've grown since February? :)

I tell them all the time that if they don't stop growing, am I going to ground them!  They think that's so funny!

I know I can't stop them from growing, which makes me sad, but I CAN enjoy them right now, highwaters and all! :)

How are you going to enjoy your kiddos today?  It seems we'll be preparing for a flood! ;)

~Kristee

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Fall Play Book: Pumpkin Pancakes

Tonight's dinner was Pumpkin Pancakes from our Fall Play Book!  Boy they were delicious!

I found the recipe at allrecipes.com via Pinterest.  I doubled it for our team.  They gobbled them up and we still have plenty for the freezer to pull out for a quick breakfast.  They smell wonderful while cooking.  You will definitely want to add this to your "Fall List".  This one is a keeper!

Enjoy!
~Kristee




Pumpkin Pancakes

Submitted By: Ruth
Photo By: Dianne
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
1.In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Club House Decor: Fall Wreath





It only cost $3 for the grapevine wreath and  about $1 for the letter H (I had a coupon).  I had the rest of the materials in my craft stash!  I think that it turned out pretty cute.  It was really easy.  Clearly as a mom of all boys my bow tying skills are a bit lacking! : /  I need to have one of my "Girly" Mom friends to fix it for me! :)

Has anybody else made any cute fall decor yet?


~Kristee

Fall Play Book: Paper Plate Spider Webs

These Paper Plate Spider Webs were SO much fun!  It was super easy & cheap!  The are made with "normal" household items, with the exception of the spiders.




We just took a paper plate and cut the center out.

Then we cut slits all the way around and wrapped yarn through them.








Such "serious" faces!



I found a package of 55 spider rings at Dollar Tree a few weeks ago, so we tucked a few of them in each web.


We hung them in the doorway between our kitchen and living room.  They turned out pretty cool.  Thank you Pinterest!  This is about as spooky as we get for Halloween! :)

If you are looking for more fall activities for your kiddos, check out our Fall Play Book to see what we will be doing.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Fall Play Book: Paint-A-Pumpkin Rock

Here's our first installment of our Fall Play Book!  The boys are super excited to see what we will be making/doing.  They are quite the crafty team.

We decided to paint our Pumpkin Rocks first, since we'll place them outside as part of our Fall/Halloween decor.

Back in July, during a trip to Prescott, we had gathered up a few rocks from the house we were staying at.  I knew we could do something with them I just didn't know what yet.  So then I saw this idea on Pinterest & knew what to use them for!

They each chose one and painted it orange.





We let them dry and then painted a face on them.  I'll be sure to write the date and their names on the back!







A perfect addition to our Halloween collection and a great way to remember our trip to Prescott!

~Kristee

Trainer Notes: Buying deodorant!

After Saturday's soccer games, we came home and started lunch.  Eli and I were both standing in the pantry (he had asked me to get something down for him.)  That's when I sniffed.  Hmmm?  What's that smell?  So I sniffed again.  I realized what I was smelling was Eli.  It wasn't his smelly gas or stinky feet this time.  THIS time is was the overwhelming stank of old man B...O...!  I couldn't believe it my little boy has body odor!  What the heck?  He just turned 8 for Pete's sake!

I told Eli, "Dude, you are stinky!"  He just laughed.  The entire conversation and events that followed, pretty much went down hill from there.  To sum it up for you, picture this:  both parents and multiple brothers taking turn sniffing his arm pits and soccer jersey in between rolling fits of laughter.  We were all losing it!  Mostly because I was the ONLY one who could actually smell the offensive odor.  No one else could even detect the slightest smell.  But they are all BOYS, what do they know?  I really think that after all of these years, Jeff has lost his sense of smell.  He swore he couldn't smell a thing!

Make NO mistake the smell was there.  It reminded me of being in my Gaggie (Yes, that's what I call her-leave me alone!) & PopPop's automotive parts store as a kid.  There were always a couple of old men who would come in who stunk up the whole place.  When we'd see them pull up front to park, we knew what was about to happen....pure stink!

So I told Eli that he was going to have to get some deodorant.  He really didn't protest.  I think he liked the idea of being big like his Daddy!

I had a few things I needed from Walmart last night, so I asked him if he wanted to come along with me.  He happily agreed!  So there we were, in the deodorant aisle, sniffing every deodorant they had!  Eli gets his inability to make decisions from me, so I was worried we'd be there forever!  He probably smelled 10 different kinds before he made his choice!  The whole scene just made me laugh.  There I was, in Walmart, buying deodorant, for my just-turned 8 year old BOY!  Oh it's just so hard to believe!



Throughout the rest of our shopping trip, I just watched him.  I watched how big he looked.  He comes up to my shoulders now (it's not like that's hard to do).  He was walking around with his hand in his pockets, looking so much like his Daddy.  He offered to go and get the milk for me.  He offered to get the baby food off of the shelf.  He loaded all of the groceries in the cart and then into the van.

I drove the whole way home with a giant lump in my throat.  I was crying over deodorant!  What a dork!  OK, so it wasn't the deodorant that made me sad, but the fact that my boy is growing up and there's not a thing I can do about it.

As parents, we start wishing our kids into the next stage, the very moment they are born.  We say, "If only, they'd sleep through the night!  If only, they'd pee in the potty!  If only, they'd stop sucking their thumb!  If only they'd stay in their bed!  If only, they'd clean up their toys!"  So many "if only's"!  I'm starting to feel differently about them now!  If only time would slow down!

But he's growing up, just the way God intended.  And that's OK!  I'm not sure how I'd feel if he were 25 and still living with us!  :)

So my challenge for myself over the fall break is to live in the present and not wish this time away!  Who's with me?

By the way, did anyone else out there have stinky boys at age 8?

~Kristee

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Fall Play Book

So you may remember my Summer Play Book...you know the one we failed miserably at?! :)  I figured that we'd give it a go for the fall as well!  We are out of school for 2 1/2 weeks for fall!  (I love our schedule here! ) So I wanted to come up with some memory makers!  Where did I go?  Why Pinterest of course!

I've compiled a list of 25 different activities, recipes, crafts, and games.  There is a little something for everyone!  I'm planning on giving myself through Thanksgiving to get these all done.  :)



Fall 2013 Play Book

1. Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes (My most favorite recipe from Pinterest of ALL time)
2.  Pumpkin Jar-o'-Lanterns
3.  Roll a Pumpkin Game
4.  Paint a Pumpkin Rock
5.  Make Apple Butter
6.  Paper Plate Spider Web
7.  Candy Corn Bark
8.  Googly Eye Halloween Wreath
9.  Mummy Jar Lights
10.  Pine Cone Spiders
11.  Paper Plate Owl
12.  Paper Bag Scarecrow
13.  Salt Dough Leaves
14.  Pumpkin Pancakes
15.  Craft Stick Scarecrows
16.  Pumpkin Fudge
17.  Glow in the Dark Spider Web
18. Carve Pumpkins
19.  Roast Pumpkin Seeds
20.  Color by Letter Turkey
21.  Thanksgiving Bingo
22.  Thankful Tree
23.  Indian Corn
24.  Hand print Turkeys
25.  Paper plate Turkeys

I hope you make some great memories with your family this fall!

~Enjoy!
Kristee