When the going gets tough..We get pedicures

Sometimes it is ice cream that solves girl problems (like your last tad pole dying) and if that is not doing the trick we have to go get some pedi-therapy. We had some good girl bonding time reading fashion magazines and relaxing. Her face may not look like it in the photo but she is really happy mourning her tad pole.

My Ebay adventures..

Ebay is so popular in our house. I laugh at some of the life purchases I will check on ebay for if they are on there for cheaper. The humorous part of ebay is when you purchase stuff and then end up selling it there yourself again. I have finally come to that point in my ebay career. Today I am listing a Super Chexx ice hockey game that Scott had purchased off ebay. We had all good intentions with this purchase. It has been very entertaining. But the time has come to part with this toy, so on ebay it will soon be for sale.

Five and half days to summer....

I am so excited to have summer break around the corner. Life becomes more simple and fun. We have a few hopes on our eleven week summer list: sleeping in, going to the pool, visits to the lake, boating, wake boarding, wake surfing, sunning (with SPF 50), camps, VBS, Fourth of July fireworks, eating fabulous summer foods, bike rides, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Florida. I LOVE SUMMER TIME! Looking forward to spending time with my girls and having a wonderful summer.

Yummy!

I have found a yummy recipe and wanted to share it with you. It is a family hit mostly Scott and cousin Zachary (1yrs old). But don't let that worry you, my kids are not very adventurous in trying new foods. We often end up paying them to try new things. I think we are being played. If you try it and like it let me know. I love the comments.

Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes

8 slices of bacon or salad topping bacon

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tbs of butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup of cheddar cheese divided in half

8 green onions sliced and divided (this is optional in our house)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour

3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet. Cook as directed. Crumble and drain.

4. When potatoes are done let them cool for 10 min. Slice them in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand blender until creamy and well blended. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.

5. Bake for another 15 minutes.

YUMMY!

Mother's Day 2010

Mother's day weekend was the best yet. The weekend started Saturday morning with Scott and the girls doing a family spring cleaning. We washed all the windows in the house. Did ALL the laundry together as a group effort. We did so much laundry that we felt like all the closets just were too small. Not often are all the clothes we own in them clean. We finished the morning with a lunch at Whistle stop with Jim and Lois. Saturday night we spent the evening together doing nothing. It was a wonderful thing.

Sunday Mother's day started a little differently. In the morning I was surprised with a porch swing and a sick child. Nicole and I spent Sunday morning at the urgent care center getting a strep test done. Unfortunately it was positive. Before you feel bad for me having a sick kid on Mother's day let me tell you what I think. Never do I wish for a sick child but when they are sick you really feel important. They need you so much for comfort. I felt like a "mom" being up all night helping her and comforting her. You need to understand that a eight and ten year old who do so much for themselves all the time and sleep all night, you might forget how important to them you actually are. Nicole is thankfully feeling better and I am so glad to have her smiling again. It really was a wonderful mother's day. Katelyn drew a "book card" for me as seen above. Nicole made me the pop up card. I love my Family!

-Daddy and his girls-

"Hula Hoop Reader"

Katelyn really enjoys reading so much that a she even reads and hula hoops at the same time. She has found books from the school library that are mysteries and it just keeps her reading.

Our Smugmug site

http://vanderwoude.smugmug.com/

"Night at the Museum of American History"

We come in peace!

Washing clothes was "fun" according to Kate. She loved all the roles she got to play.

Katelyn and Nicole had an educational fair at school. The grades K-12 all took a period in history to have on display in the gym. They all studied their period in time and wrote reports, colored pictures, made projects, and cooked food. Katelyn's class did the "Westward movement" and Nicole's class did the "Lewis and Clarke Expedition." I had two fighting enemies living in my home for weeks. Thankfully peace was found and they became friends.

From the knees Up!