Cardboard Box

Did you know the card board box is in the National Toy Hall of Fame? It's true. It joined the Hula Hoop and GI Joe in the Toy Hall of Fame, back in 2005.
There should be a parent's book out there called, "101 Ways to Entertain Your Kids Using a Cardboard Box". It would make bank. I'm pretty sure I'd buy it.
A while ago I got a photo album from Snapfish in a flat, cardboard box. I had just taken it out to the recycle bin when Mcayden asked where his computer was. After much questioning, we figured out he was referring to the cardboard box I had just taken outside. I retrieved the "computer" for Mcayden and he was thrilled. I drew some buttons on it and Mcayden and I colored it and added stickers. To all of us who have ever said, "I never knew how fun a cardboard box could be", well, here's another reason.

Delicious Recipe

When Addison was born, our amazing friend, Carrie, brought over a delicous home-made dinner along with some amazing coconut banana bread. Neither Rick or I like coconut, but we have been converted. This bread is so yummy! Carrie just shared the recipe on her blog, so I had to share it with you! It's worth making! Enjoy!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
Ingredients2 cups all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup granulated sugar1/4 cup butter, softened2 large eggs1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt3 tablespoons apple juice1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconutCooking spray1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut1/2 cup powdered sugar1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350°.Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

In Blue Jeans, Baby

One of the many fun things about having a baby girl is all the cute clothes! Seriously, it is hard not to buy something every time I pass the children's clothing area in a store. Do you have the same problem?

There are bows and dresses and ruffles and frills up the ying yang for little girls and they call out to you as you walk by. "I'm on sale! I'm the cutest dress you have ever seen! Buy me!" and so on. Oh give me strength.

Thankfully others give our kids cute clothes, so I can often avoid the clothing area and the dent in my wallet. Whew.

This jean jacket Addison is sporting came from Auntie Debbie. She's "the shopper" in my family and a really great shopper at that, I might add. Thanks, Deb!

Catching Up

I've done some catching up on this blog. Go back to Feb. 12 to see all the new pics.
Hugs!
xox J.L

Bubble Prints

If you have young kids, this is a fun little art project to add to your list of "Rainy Day" activities.

What you'll need: bowl of water, food coloring, dish soap, a towel, a straw, paper.

Sit your child at the table with a bowl of water and a straw. Have your child practice blowing in to the straw to make bubbles. (Talk about the difference between sucking and blowing.) If she can do it, add a couple drops of dish soap to the water and have her blow. Can she overflow the bowl with bubbles?

Once she gets good at making a mount of bubbles, drip some food coloring into the bubbles and watch it spread. Gently place a piece of white paper on top of the bubbles to pop them. Lift it off and let it dry. You will have a unique bubble print!

Spoil

The other day, Rick was pulling out the last two of our Vlasic, Original Dill pickles when he noticed something floating in the jar. Infact, there were two or three somethings, bobbing around in the pickle juice. Yes, there were flys in our pickle juice.

It's amazing how something so small can spoil something that otherwise would be so good.

Do you ever feel like the smallest things can ruin something great?
The pickes we had eaten were good, but once we discovered the flies, those last pickles were thrown away. What changed?
It's so easy to focus our mind's lens on what is wrong in life. And when we focus on just that, we let it spoil everything else.

(BTW We emailed Vlasic Customer Service and they apologized and assured us this was an isolated event and proceeded to mail us three coupons.)

Burner Smile

It seems like when I have to boil water, it always boiles over before I can get to it. Well, today was no different. But, when I lifted up the pan, this was what underneath!