Playing Memory, Making Memories

-We (Daddy, Mommy and Daniel) enjoyed playing a game of Memory (the Toy Story version) before bed tonight. The score....Daniel 19, Daddy 10 and Mommy 7. It's okay that we got beat by a 3 year old (who cheats). Daniel's rules are - pick 2 cards, if they aren't the same you pick a 3rd card. (The actual rule is you pick 2 cards and if they are not a match it is the next player's turn.) Daniel's rules are if another player turns over and card and you know where the match is then the "pair" is yours. We are okay with being beat by a 3 year old. We love when he sees a match and says "sime (same)" or when it is not a match and he hangs his head and says "not sime (same). We love watching him think about which cards to choose, he puts his finger to his mouth and says "hmmm...." and concentrates very hard (and sometimes long). We love for him to tell us whose turn it is - "Mommy too (Mommy's turn)", "Daddy too (Daddy's turn)", "me too (my turn). Taking time out to play Memory with Daniel is a memory that we will cherish forever.

Meal Planning

-I have been following blogs like Organizing Junkie, Chubbie Chica, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms and a newly discover Hooiser Homemade for a while and I have been encouraged by these blogs in different ways to create a meal plan, making it easier to eat at home, saving us money and possibly even causing us to eat healthier and loose some weight. I have been jotting down meal ideas and recipes for a couple of weeks and I finally have all my "jots" organized into a couple weeks worth of menus and recipes and shopping list to go with each week of menu. I am VERY proud of myself and starting tomorrow (Menu Plan Monday), I will share with you my menus and recipes.

Party Planning - Gathering Ideas

-We've been thinking about Daniel and Caden's upcoming birthdays the past couple of days. Daniel turns 4 on June 21 and Caden turns 2 on July 18. We have celebrated birthdays at home with family in the past. We decided that this would be a good year to have actual birthday parties. Our first thought was to have a BIG party for Daniel and Caden together. (We would not have to worry about jealousy issues then. We would also not have to worry about planning 2 parties during the summer when everyone has travel plans at different times.) We quickly decided that a "transportation themed" party would be the best since they both love cars, trucks, etc. I searched the net yesterday for cake ideas and I found these cute and simple cupcakes at Wilton, actually it's plain ole cupcakes with cute wraps and sticks to decorate the plain ole cupcake. I can do these! I also found a cute idea for edible stoplights here. We can purchase a fruit tray/cheese tray/veggie tray - food is taken care of - simple and low on cost. I LOVE these invitations but I do not love the price (41.99 for 25 cards). I am going to ask my friend and wonderful photographer Megan McGee if she can create birthday invitations. (I would rather pay her then some random person online.) I am so excited, I think the party will be simple to put together and not overly expensive which means there will be little stress and we can really enjoy our boys turning 2 and 4.

Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms

-One of our family's favorite sites our Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms. I visit this site often. My boys love this site, I know they love this site because I have gotten some yummy recipes and meal ideas from this site and the boys (including my husband) have enjoyed eating them. Jane Doiron, the creator/author of the site Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms also has written a cookbook titled "Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms". I want one. I was very excited to see that she was going to give 5 of her readers a copy of "Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms" in honor of her 1 year blogiversary. I entered to win. If you are a busy mom like me and are searching for yummy, easy recipes to keep your family fed and happy check out Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms and enter to win your own copy of the cookbook, "Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms". You can enter for your chance to win here. (The giveaway ends April 26.)

The Easter Bunny Was Here

-Daniel and Caden were so excited to find their buckets of goodies left by the Easter Bunny. They really don't understand the concept of the Easter Bunny but they love that when they opened the front door, they found buckets filled with candy, cars, bath toys and "shows" (Isaac slept through all the excitement.)

-Daniel was so excited that the Easter Bunny had left buckets full of goodies. He carried the buckets inside one by one starting with Isaac's and began emptying each of the buckets (starting with his). His favorite treat from the Easter Bunny was the bunny shaped marshmallows.
-Caden grabbed an egg filled with jelly beans out of his bucket and headed down the stairs. He wanted to run and play and did not care what the Easter Bunny had left him.