A Little Bit Ironic, Don't Ya Think?!

Check out the sign posted next to the pump at a BP Gas Station:

Hmmmm...

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Friday and we have had a pretty busy week. I started off the week in a car accident on Monday. Thankfully, nothing too serious. I was reared ended, thus being pushed into the car in front of me. Oddly enough, the car in front of me drove off! So weird. The kid who hit me was 17 and scared. I tried to remember that he was some one's child the whole time. There was no need to be mad at him. Thankfully, Nurse Boy was home with the kids and no one got hurt. The poor van will be in the shop all next week, but I will be sporting a rental car in the mean time. Truth be told, I am sure it will be much nicer than my 11 year old van. Odds are it will smell better, too.

I have also used this week to get organized and work on our summer routine. We have tackled all of the kids closets. Sadly, that was quite the project. They are all organized now, but I had my doubts that it would ever get done. I am a pretty organized person, but I tend to let closets and drawers get the best of me. I like everything to be visually pleasing, so I tend to not care what something looks like when it is covered by a door. This summer I am going to try to tackle those hidden places. Today I am tackling 3 "hot spots" in my kitchen, including the dreaded "junk drawer." Everyone has a "junk drawer," right? Mine is currently vomiting into the cabinet underneath it.

I am also working on a schedule for the kids. I am expecting them to do chores, read, complete some math activities, and exercise daily. I am going to require them to read for 30 minutes a day. That will also earn them 30 minutes of TV time. Do any of you have some great ideas to keep kids motivated this summer? My goal every year is for them to, at the very least, maintain where they are at academically.

Today I am going to share one of our favorite homemade snacks:

Granola Bars

(Makes 16 bars)

You will need:
1/3 cup Canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oats
2 cups rice cereal
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit of your choice
1/3 cup flax seed (optional)

1. Throw all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. Spray treat a 13x9 pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan.

3. For chewy bars, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. For crunchy bars, bake at 300 degrees for about 40-50 minutes.

I actually keep these in my freezer in a freezer bag. They are great right out of the freezer, or when placed in a lunch box for later. As a matter of a fact, this was my breakfast this morning. We love these things. They are simple to make and I feel better about the ingredients, since I can actually pronounce each one. Ha!

But, I would be lying if I said I never bought granola bars. 'Cuz some days I have to tackle "junk drawers" and closets instead of making wholesome snacks for my family!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Don't Judge Me

Once upon a time, in a world that was all blue and filled with little boys covered in mud, I promised that I would never buy my children one of those motorized peddle cars. You know the ones: Crazy expensive, two seater, adorable, and goes up to 5 miles per hour at the press of the peddle. I mean, how ridiculous is that?! If my boys were outside playing, they needed to be peddling. And, by peddling, I mean moving those chubby little legs as fast as they could go. There is nothing wrong with some good, old fashioned exercise!

Oh, the boys begged and pleaded more times than I could count. But, it was like my heart was made of stone. No matter how far they stuck out their bottom lip, I wasn't compromising. Not. One. Bit.

Years later, some pink entered my life. I was older (and, one would think, wiser). Our little princess was about to turn 4. She hardly needed another doll or frilly dress. I had no idea what to add to her pink little world.

That is, until I set my eyes on this sparkly gem:


I mean, how could I pass up this pink dream?! It has it's own radio, a seat for a BFF, and I was sure Sweet Pea would be entertained for hours. I am certain my instant love had NOTHNG to do with my childhood dream to drive around in my own pink car. (Which NEVER happened, I might add. Not that I am still bitter about it or anything.) Imagine my delight when I watched Nurse Boy's eyes light up when he saw the Princess Toyota.

Yes, we are suckers.

On her birthday, we presented her with what we thought was the most amazing birthday present. However, as soon as she pressed the peddle, the car jumped and scared her to death. She started to whimper and asked us to take it back to the store.

Seriously.

We were determined to get her used to this pink dream of mine...er... I mean, hers. The boys would drive her around. When they would ask her to drive, she was out of there.

Finally, about a month later, I found her doing this:

All by herself.



It really is ridiculous.

But, it is also stinkin' cute.

I think we need prayers for wisdom when she turns 16! If we got her this when she turned 4, I can only imagine what we will think is cute on her 16th birthday. (I never did get that convertible I always wanted. I'm just sayin'.)

Something tells me she will live happily ever after.

It's Good To Be Back!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.



I have been MIA for the last 2 weeks as I prepared for the end of the school year. As the 2009-2010 school year came to a screeching halt, I finished my last day teaching my favorite preschoolers, I celebrated Nurse Boy's semester coming to a close, and I cheered my boys on as they received honors and awards for all of their hard work this school year.



I also rounded up flip flops, swimsuits, and beach towels as we prepared for the wonderful season of summer.



Since I know you are all on the edge of your seats as you wait to hear how our life has played out during the last 2 weeks, I am providing you with more visuals than you probably ever care to view.

First of all, my boys made me proud at the end of the year awards ceremony. Dimples received recognition for getting straight A's all year. He had an awesome year. He had several challenges and he impressed me with his determination to do his best no matter how hard the challenge.

(I know that is a HORRIBLE picture, but I was playing around with my camera settings. Once I realized it wasn't working, Dimples was already off the stage.)

Bruiser received a character award for Being Positive! (Check out all those girls. I consider it a privilege and honor to be raising some amazing Christian boys! Frankly, we needed more boys up there!)
The awards ceremony was loooonnnngggg, but Sweet Pea was there to cheer for her brothers.



The boys had their last day of school on Thursday. I was feeling emotional and sentimental. They were EXCITED!

Bruiser is now a second grader.

Dimples is more than ready for fifth grade.

On Friday, we kept with a new family tradition. I like to start the summer with a surprise-filled weekend. Frankly, I love surprising the kids. It can make a simple day seem spectacular. So, on Friday I had the kids help me pack up some suitcases while Nurse Boy was at work. They spent the day guessing where we were going. (I promised them we weren't actually traveling.)

When Nurse Boy came home from work, we revealed our plans.


We started off by checking into a downtown hotel. We were on the 25th floor. The kids spent most of our stay just looking out the windows in amazement.



Next, we headed to the hotel pool.

Our nightcap for the evening? Cookies and milk! And, mom didn't even care if they got crumbs in the bed.


The next morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in our room, got dressed, slathered on the sunscreen, and prepared ourselves for a day of fun in the sun at Jiggle Jam. Jiggle Jam is a kid's festive with numerous kiddie bands, activities, and opportunities to get wet.


We met Sweet Pea's friend, Lily, and her family there. Aren't they adorable?!

We took in some concerts.



Of course, we fed the kids well-balanced, nutritional food. (What? You don't think a brick of curly fries and deep fried corn dogs are nutritious? Then, I won't tell you what else we ate. ;0)

The girls hula hooped. Truth be told, Lily was AMAZING. Sweet Pea? Not so much.

Sweet Pea also had a few melt downs. (I love this picture way more than I should!)




Nurse Boy even got to sneak in some baby time!

(How cute is that little guy?!)

Since it was HOT, the kids had to get wet.

Bruiser is a fan of the water.



Dimples couldn't be left out.

Sweet Pea surprised us all and was soaked right down to her princess undies.

There you go! More than you ever wanted to know about our last two weeks. I am looking forward to the summer months. And, I plan to keep up my blog since we have a lot less going on... if I can only keep up on the laundry. Unfortunately, all of the trips to the pool tend to get in the way of that goal.

Happy Summer!!!

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Yes! No!

My turn signal wasn’t working,

So I asked for help from a friend.

"Stand behind the car," I said.

"Let’s get this problem to end."

"When I turn the signal on,

If it’s working, let me know."

I hit the blinker and then I heard:

"Yes! No! Yes! No!

Yes! No!"

By Joanna Fuchs

Yep. I have had a week like that. I will spare you the details. Nothing major, thankfully. Just life. We have been busy with all of the end of the school year stuff.

In April, I was dreading the end of the school year. I was dreading the constant questions of: "What are we going to do today? Who is coming over? WHY do we need to clean? Can't we do something fun? What's there to eat? Can I have a snack? I am bored. I am hungry. I am bored. What are we going to do today? Who is coming over?" I think you get the picture.

But, May rolled around and it has been nonstop with soccer games, field trips, field days, concerts, dad's and doughnuts, mom's and muffins, mother's day activities, etc. I am now welcoming the laid back days of summer. As a matter of a fact, I don't think it can get here soon enough. I am growing tired of homework, reading Tommy Tails, writing checks for all things deemed educational, and packing school lunches. Most of all, I am sick and tired of my ALARM CLOCK. Let's face it, we were never close. After 9 whole months of that thing yelling at me in the morning, I can't wait to turn it off for 3 relaxing months.

If only the kids would learn to sleep in. However, that is not how it works. I have to pry them out of bed 5 days a week only to find them up before God on the one Saturday I planned to sleep in. Summer will be no exception. I am sure they will be greeting me with big smiles before the 7 o'clock hour while I can barely force a smile before 8 AM. Sad, but true.

But, the biggest reason why I dread summer is that these 2 wonderful women will no longer be a part of our daily lives:

They each hold a special place in my heart. They helped my boys grow and mature in a new, big, huge school. They were an answer to prayer while I followed the Lord's nudging and took them out of a small, private Christian school and placed them in our neighborhood school. They have given me hope in our public school system.

(However, they are refusing to follow my boys up to second grade and fifth grade. ;0) Here's hoping Sweet Pea will be spending sometime in their classrooms in a few years!

On to my favorite part of the day: DESSERT! Since I know everyone is busy this time of the year, I thought I would share a great dessert to take to those potlucks, graduation parties, and end of the year celebrations.

Lemon, Lemon Cake

(Clever name, don't ya think?!)

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 box lemon supreme cake mix

3/4 cup of oil

4 eggs

1 box lemon gelatin

juice of one lemon

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

juice of one lemon

1. Dissolve gelatin in one cup of hot water and cool.

2. Mix dissolved gelatin with all other cake ingredients.

3. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-32 minutes.

4. Mix together powdered sugar and the juice of one lemon. Pour over hot cake.

This cake is refreshing, moist, and fabulous!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Because I Knew You Needed a New Addiction~ aka Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.


Have you ever found yourself going to a gathering and being thrilled that so-n-so is going to be there because they always bring that fabulous appetizer, casserole, dessert, etc? You know, that one item you only get to enjoy when you are with so-n-so because you are either (a) too lazy to attack the recipe in your own kitchen or (b) they are too selfish to share their delicious family recipe. Or, worse. (c) They don't even have a recipe. They just throw it together in the dark and magic happens. Magic that is way too many calories to count but far too yummy to pass up.

When I was a brand new bride and the kitchen was a whole new place for me to explore, I spent my free time impressing my new husband with endless batches of Hamburger Helper. Yes, I did. And, he LOVED the stuff. No, really. He did. (Yes, I said DID.) He had NEVER had Hamburger Helper before he married me. His mother is a fabulous cook and she never stooped so low as to take advantage of the 5 boxes for $10 sale. Nope. She walked right by.

Not me. I knew a good bargain when I saw one. After Nurse Boy sung the praises of all that was Hamburger Helper, we ate it SEVERAL times a week. I mean, who was I to argue with Nurse Boy's taste buds?

After one year of trying every kind of Hamburger Helper imaginable and mixing things up with ground beef, ground turkey, and going all crazy with ground chicken every now and again, Nurse Boy put his fork down one evening and said, "I am done. I don't care if I ever see another box of Hamburger Helper again."

Truth be told, I was done 6 months before that. But, it was easy. And, cheap. But, mostly easy.

We haven't had it since. I don't imagine my boys with taste that stuff until they get hitched.

So, after one year of marriage, I finally decided that I needed to cook. My friend Peggy was one of my amazing coworkers who was single and who was always whipping up something exciting in her kitchen. She always showed up to our teacher potlucks with a fresh batch of Scotch-A-Roos. I always knew those treats would be waiting for me during those special gatherings. Peggy fed my addiction. Peggy was my so-n-so who always showed up with such-n-such. They are exactly what I imagine heaven tasting like. Surely, heaven is filled with Scotch-A-Roos that won't go straight to your waist!

Once I left that position, I made Scotch-A-Roos my such-n-such that I bring to events. Nurse Boy's coworkers beg me for them. They call me with their requests and even let me know when their birthday is coming up on the calendar. My friends smile when I show up with them. My kids' teachers thank me for them and tell their husbands they aren't sharing. And, I am pretty sure they (Scotch-A-Roos) are the only reason that my coworkers put up with me.

All of that to say: Meet Your New Addiction!

Scotch-A-Roos

You will need:

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

6 cups rice krispies

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1. Heat sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often. Let boil and continue stirring for about one minute.

2. Pour over rice krispies and mix well.

3. Press into a 13x9 pan.

4. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in the microwave. Mix well and spread over the top of the rice krispy mixture.

Healthy? No. Heavenly? YES!

You are welcome.

A Little Gratitude

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I used to teach third grade. Nurse Boy says I am retired, but I am still waiting for my pension. I am afraid the wait has been long and all of my checks must have gotten lost in the mail. Probably because I was all of 26 when I "retired."

I have such a heart for teachers. It is a calling, a ministry; an exhausting, challenging, and rewarding job. I cannot help but to love a teacher that spends their days patiently teaching my child. They offer a fresh, new perspective for my children. Nurse Boy and I are the dominate teachers in our kids lives, yet it is often good for a child to have another adult cheering for them, encouraging them, and challenging them. So far, we have been blessed with amazing teachers each and every year. That is a blessing I don't take for granted!

This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week. I would like to encourage you to love on your child's teacher. It is such a challenging job. The hours can be endless. The resources are never enough. And, there can never be enough words of encouragement for a sometimes thankless job. Bless those teachers that have made a difference in your child's life!

Teacher Poem

by Kevin William Huff

Teachers

Paint their minds and guide their thoughts

Share their achievements and advise their faults

Inspire a

Love of knowledge and truth

As you light the path

Which leads our youth

For our future brightens

with each lesson you teach

Each smile you lengthen

Each goal you help reach

For the dawn of each poet

each philosopher and king

Begins with a Teacher

And the wisdom they bring

This week I plan to share a few gift ideas. Today's gift idea is great for teachers, mothers, and girlfriends. Of course, if it is something I can do, it MUST be easy. It is also one of my favorite beauty secrets to soft, moisturized skin. (And, Nurse Boy has been known to use it once or twice. Ha! I'll take that as a compliment.)

Green Tea Body Scrub

~Makes one 12 ounce jar~

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar (I use organic sugar for its slightly grainier texture)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tea bag (green tea leaves)

6 to 8 drops cosmetic-grade soap fragrance (optional)

Use a large mixing bowl and throw in all of the ingredients. Mix well. Spoon into a 12 ounce jar.

(See? NO skill required!!)

Decorate.

Don't forget to lovingly label the jar. To keep it simple, I use an office label and write out simple instructions like, "After cleansing in the shower, rub gently on your skin. Rinse with warm water. Enjoy soft and supple skin!"

Go ahead... love on those teachers this week!