First Playdate

We had our first playdate today with family and friends. We had snacks of Six Week Muffins, chocolate chip cookies and apple juice to drink. I know it sounds weird but these muffins are very good and you can make up the batter and it will keep for six weeks in your fridge so you can bake some when you want them. They are also very good for you loaded with raisins, dates, and fiber. Loads of fiber. My kids love them. Go figure the one healthy thing they like. I got the recipe from my mom and have decided to share it.

Six Week Muffins
2 Cups boiling water
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups dates and raisins
5 teaspoon baking soda
4 beaten eggs
5 cups sifted flour
4 cups All-Bran cereal
2 cups Bran Flakes
1 quart buttermilk

Mix water and soda first, let cool. In a 10 quart bowl cream shortening, sugar and eggs - beat until fluffy. Add all other ingredients together. Now you can store it in your fridge for up to six weeks. When you are ready to use some take it out and put into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 mins at 400 degrees F. Enjoy!

The following are pictures of our fun together. We played with toys and bubbles.
FUN!

Curse of the Binky

3 out of 4 of my children have used binkies. Benjamin turned his nose up at it and I became the human pacifier. I vowed to never do that again. Christopher and Evan used one and I loved it except when the binkies were lost. Luckily both used the regular ones you can buy in a four pack so we had a lot laying around the house. Then came Alexis. I knew she was going to be trouble when I heard she was a girl. Will she take a binky? Yes. Will she take one from the 4-pack? NO! She likes the one she got from the hospital. You know those freaky blue Soothies that you can see in the mouth with. Yep, those. She loves it. Now you can buy them at Wal Mart so when she was about 3 months old I bought the next size up like a good mother. They are pink and I thought it was perfect since she was a girl and all. Will she take it? Nope. They are a little hard. Ok that is an understatement. They are like a rock, but I figured after some use it would soften. It never got used. So we had the one and have done remarkably well to not lose it for long. Yesterday it got left at church and thus the curse began. After searching everywhere, I concluded that I must have dropped it while getting everyone to get their coats on so we could leave. I still had the pink one and thought I could get by with it because she will now put it in her mouth if she is upset enough and has no other option. Curse is all I can say. She cried for over an hour trying to go to sleep with it. Then she would start to cough and get even more upset. I was ready to head to the church to look for it or run to Wal Mart and buy anther. Then a ray of sun burst through with a call from my brother asking if we lost a binky. His wife found it and had it. I begged them to bring it by and they did. Bliss was now ours. The stray had found it's way home and joy could be had once again. Thank goodness she only likes the weird one or my sister-in-law would never have known it was ours. The binky: A curse or a blessing? Maybe both.

@!#%?@%@ SNOW!

No offense to those of you who love snow and winter but this is disgusting. It is March 29th and last night we got at least 1 1/2" of new snow. Just yesterday we were outside and could see most of the ground with the trees bare. Don't get me wrong I like winter well enough, but this year winter was done for me about the time we got plowed out of our house after being stuck for 2 weeks and that was months ago. Once the snow starts melting and staying away it has no business coming back! Well here are some disgusting photos showing the new snow.

Outside At Last!

It may be cloudy, but it was finally warm enough and dry enough to go play outside today. We rode bikes, ran around, and blew bubbles. All in all it was a blast.

Bejamin riding his bike with Evan and Christopher giving chase.

Ride Ben, ride for your life!

Still have snow on the ground, but it's melting. Thank goodness!

Christopher, Alexis, and Evan: Group Hug Time

Night at Chuck E Cheese

The children love going to Chuck E. Cheese's to eat but mostly to play. Normally we go after Doug has had a long trip for work, but luckily he hasn't had any for some time now. I had coupons that expire on the 31st and it seemed a waste not to use them. So......here are some pictures from tonight's special trip.

Christopher, Benjamin and Evan eating pizza. YUM!

Evan riding the fire truck. Future profession?

Benjamin in a bubble. Very fitting place for him to be.

Does he want to get away from us all?

Alexis has found her calling. She loved riding in the fire truck

and wouldn't get out when a little boy wanted a turn.

Year of Snow

Snow Keeps Comin'

Our snow cane. It snowed so much so fast that it couldn't stand up any more.

Yes, that is one continuous snow line right off our porch. This year was amazing for snow amounts. We were snowed in in January and were worried about being able to get out for our daughter's birth. We were again snowed in in December around Christmas.

We need 4 wheel drive!

Meet the family

Sheilah, Benjamin, Doug, Christopher, Evan, and Alexis