"How Do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies?"

  My least favorite saying in the world is, "you're a teacher, it must be nice have summers off?"  Duh! is what I would like to say but I know this is not usually meant as a question rather a statement really saying, "I can't believe you actually get paid to only work nine months out of the year and then sit on your butt for the rest."  This little statement led me to guilt ridden summers my first four years of teaching (even though I usually had a second job). However, now that I have a child that saying bothers me less and less becuase no matter what others say I thank God everyday for my summers (and, yes, I work my butt off for nine months a year so I can spend the rest of it chasing around my very energetic toddler). 

Munchkin and I are both very social so I try to keep us pretty busy going to the park, story time, museums, and anywhere else with kids her age; however, some rainy days are just meant to relax at home. 

This was one of those days...

We had a stack of library books to get through, and munchkin particularly liked this one. There is a series of books where they tell you how dinosaurs would do it, and this particular one is titled, "How Do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies?".  In the back of the book they had a recipe for Cinnama-Saurus Rex cookies, and seeing as it didn't look like we'd be going outside soon it was the perfect time to bake. 

(Sorry I know this is kind of hard to see)

Munchkin loves getting out the ingredients, and she went through the book and read each one with me as I retrieved it from it's keeping place in our little kitchen. 

These cookies are pretty much a combination of gingerbread and oatmeal cookies, and munchkin had a good time smelling all the spices. 

"GET THAT LITTLE FINGER OUT OF

THE BATTER!"

The recipe said to make the cookies into balls, but the picture showed a dinosaur shaped cookie. I thought we had a Dino cookie cutter so we dug through our stash and found two different ones. The dough really wasn't right for rolling out and cutting though so we just made one of each Dino, and the rest of the cookies are plain old round (you can tell which ones munchkin made because they don't exactly have a shape). 

If I look tired in this picture it is only because sometimes it is easier to entertain 20 third grades than 1 two-year-old (but we still have a blast). 

The cookies were actually pretty delicious, and we both enjoyed them as a post nap snack. 

On another excited note we also harvested these beauties from our garden!!!

Kraimer's blaukraut

Meet the Kraimers... Probably the kindest, friendliest, and most generous family I've ever known. When I was young they moved in next door, and getting close to babysitting age I was very excited to meet the new neighbors with thier two toddlers. Over the next couple of years I spent almost everyday at thier house until their work moved them to Germany. However, I know that I will always be a part of the family and they will always have a piece of my heart. Over the years we have seen each other here and there, but it have been several years since our last visit; therefore, when I heard they were in the states munchkin and I arranged a visit almost immediately. So off we went on the 5 hr trip to Naperville (just outside Chicago). We had an amazing trip! Here are a couple highlights...

Ella was one when I started babysitting her, and will now soon be turning 17. During our trip she and Alex had so much fun together. 

Here's Alex and Josette playing under a statue. I vividly remember the day her mom told me she was pregnant with Josette, as well as, the day they brought her home from the hospital. 

We went to the Morton Arboritum, and Munchkin had a blast with Ella and Josette. 

We also went to the children's museum. Alex's favorite part was the duck river. She was constantly asking, "more ducks, more ducks?"

When I was growing up I remember spending many days in Whitney Kraimer's kitchen. She is a great cook, and I have always enjoyed leaning from her. During our visit she made homemade tapioca, and we simply couldn't get enough of it (we had it for dessert one night and breakfast the next morning). Be on the lookout for an upcoming post since Munchkin and I plan to try this soon. 

I also remember Whitney's great German food, and during last week she gave me

The recipe for her blaukraut. Basically Blau means blue, and it is a lot like saurkraut only made with purple cabbage. 

Obviously we had to make this as soon as we returned home. 

Kraimer's Blaukraut

1 head of purple cabbage

 apple

 onion

 apple cider Vinager 

 Brown sugar

(I didn't write it down as we talked about it, but I think this is what Whitney told me). 

The measurements are really to taste, but all you do is shred and steam the cabbage, and add the other ingredients to your liking. 

It turned out excellent, and I will make it many more times to remind me of the Kraimers. 

Even though it had been several years since I had seen this amazing family I felt like it was only yesterday. They have grown so much, but they are still the sweet, beautiful, smart, and funny girls I've known for over 15 years. 

Happy 4th!!!

One of our favorite food holidays is the 4th of July because we can really get into the theme!

But first, I have to point out Munchkin's new stool. Well, it's not exactly new since we rescued it from my parent's basement. I have many memories from my childhood on this stool, and since she is really getting too big to sit on the counter I have been looking for something so she could stand with me. After a little paint it looks new!

  

We usually spend the 4th at a friends house since they have a prime fireworks view.  Last year we made chocolate covered pretzels, but since we've been pretty busy I want something a little simpler.... And that's when I found a recipe for Frozen Lemonaide Pie. I don't have a whole lot of experience with pie, but this was seriously so easy that I may need to enter the pie world more often. 

Frozen Lemonaide Pie

6 oz. of frozen Lemonaide 

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1.5 containers of cool whip

Mix together, place in pie crust, and freeze. 

The Crust

For the pie crust we changed it up a bit because I love chocolate and lemon together. 

8 chocolate graham crackers

1/2 cup of pretzels

1/8 cup of sugar

1 stick of butter (softened) 

Crush crackers and pretzels (I used a plastic bag and rolling pin). Add sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes(let cool before adding the pie mixture). YUM!!!

We made the pie the day before so it would have time to set up in the freezer, and then right before we went to the party we pulled it out and decorated with some berries (I told you it was going to have a 4th theme). Munchkin wanted to eat it right then, but surprisingly the whole thing made it to the party.

Here's a couple pictures from our evening with friends, family, fireworks, and fun. 

                Feeding the fish

                 CUPCAKES!

I 'Mustache' You What is Better Than a baby... 3 Babies!

Casey, Cathie, and I 

Well, the triplet couples shower was a success!  We had a blast preparing and celebrating.  Since Cathie loves the mustache theme and they are so popular right now my friend, Casey, and I decided to do a mustache themed couples baby shower....

The Invite

First thing Munchkin and I worked on were the party favors.  I found some mustache and tie cookie cutters at Hobby Lobby and had this grand idea to make sugar cookies.  After a few bumps we were actually able to put together favors that looked vaguely similar to the picture in my head.

I didn't want to ice the cookies since I was going to be placing them in little bags, so instead we made colored sugar to sprinkle on top (food coloring and sugar).

(Say hi to Dad in the background)

Munchkin and I have been attending story time at the library this summer and one of their themes was "science in the kitchen", and she got to make this awesome chefs hat!

She really loves baking, and now that she is talking a lot I really enjoy her commentary... "baking! rolling! cookies! me do it!"

Since we made about 5 dozen cookies this was obviously a very long process in which Munchkin lost interest and went to play for a while, but she always came back to check on her cookies (picture of finished product to follow).  

PROJECT #2

CORN ON THE COB!

I love capturing the pictures where she is concentrating so hard.  Also, we did this right before bed the night before the party, and yes, she is pantless.

PROJECT #3

WATERMELON

Well, since she was pantless the night before I figured we better even things out, and since watermelon is very messy she did this one shirtless...

She was very helpful in putting the pieces in the bowl


AT THE SHOWER...

DOOR DECORATION

LATE NIGHT DIAPER ACTIVITY

BUBBLE BATH PUNCH (YES THE DUCKS HAVE STACHES), AND MUSTACHE CUPS AND STRAWS.  THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE MY GLASS OF WINE...

CASEY HAD THIS AWESOME CAKE MADE!!!!!

SETTING OF THE FOOD...

MORE STACHES...

Alex had plenty of friends there to play with (you may recognize Cat from her birthday party).  These girls are 6 weeks apart, and always have a blast together (especially when balloons and curtains are involved)!

she also made a new friend named Emory, but she called her "baby".  From the moment she got there Alex was in love with Emory, and showered her attention, hugs, and even got some giggles in return.

Of course she had to help Uncle Jerry open the presents she got the babies (handmade mustache bibs).

Probably the best part of the night was when someone said it was time to cut the cake!  Alex let out a loud, "CAKE" as both girls came running to the counter.  Jerry is so great with them and let them both sit and watch him cut as they waited for their piece.  

                                      MORE PLEASE...

We had such a blast at the party, and I cannot wait to hold those little boys in my arms.  As I have said before Cathie and Jerry have been such good fiends to us whether it was visiting us in Atlanta when we were far from home, giving us pharmaceutical advice when Alex was an infant, or just being the kind of friends that will listen and understand I don't know what we would do without them and I feel so blessed to be a part of this exciting time in their life.