Track and Field 2013

Last week Wednesday was the annual homeschool track and field meet.  This is our 4th year participating and the boys always look forward to it.  Usually we have pretty decent weather, but this year the was a bit rainy.  It started out just dripping, but by the end, everyone was pretty wet.

We could only find one umbrella so Chris grabbed the beach umbrella, which came in very handy.

Joel is waiting to do the 50 yard dash.

Here he is running the 50 yard dash.  Ignore the hysterical child.  Aaron was petrified of the starting gun.  Chris is in the red shirt at the start line helping out.

Here's Andrew running the 50 yard dash.

Unfortunately, Aaron had totally lost it by the time it was Noah's turn to run and I didn't get a video of him.

Noah waiting for his ribbon. 

Joel, talking his leader's ear off.

Andrew.  He wouldn't show me his ribbons because he said he didn't want to lose them.

Noah placed 3rd in the soccer kick event.

Joel placed 2nd in the 50 yard dash.

Looking forward to next year!

Fun Zoo Trip

We had a fun day at

 the zoo yesterday with Aunt Shell and Uncle Nate.


Uncle Nate found the 1 tiny corner of shade by the bald eagle.

Going in to see the penguins and aquarium. 

Joel checking out the arctic weasel.

This mama wallaby had a baby in her pouch.  We didn't see the baby but we did see the pouch moving.

 

Petting the goats.

The two otters were very active and were swimming around right in front of us.

We hardly ever even see the mountain lions and we saw both of them yesterday.  They were also "talking" to each other and wrestling a bit.

The chimps got a special treat:  their food was frozen in water.

I took this pic right after the chimps chased each other around, yelling.  

Andrew rode the camel for the first time!  He said he liked it.

Mommy and boys

We walked up the forest trail at the back of the zoo.  

There were a couple of play areas for the kids.

They especially enjoyed the net trampoline.

This was a huge log carved into a bench.

Riding the funicular!  Uncle Nate paid the exhorbitant fee for us to ride.

Pretty landscape.

Aaron was not impressed, at all!  He wanted to go home.

Little boy Luke and his pretty blue eyes.  He slept the whole time we were at the zoo.

We have a mouse...

And I think his name is Aaron!

What's Cookin'

Tues~Pea soup, rolls, cold veggies
Wed~Pork carnitas, black beans, spanish rice
Thurs~Not entirely sure.  I have to make a low-sodium meal and I'm having trouble nailing it down.
Fri~Grilled pork, garlic rice pilaf, green beans
Sat~Frozen pizza, cold veggies
Sun~Chicken Spaghetti (F), carrots, rolls
Mon~Memorial day picnic-I'm bringing cheesy potatoes and ham and strawberry yogurt cake

Sunday visits

(taken on my Dad's iphone)

We visit my Grandma every other Sunday after church.  She so enjoys seeing the kids and doesn't seem to mind all the cookie crumbs around her table.  Here she is holding Luke.

Someone's getting bigger

11 weeks old
Finding his fists to chew on.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

A full rainbow over O'Brien Rd.  5-14-2013

Strawberry Orange Pineapple Smoothie

My new favorite smoothie recipe:



7-8 frozen or fresh strawberries (add some ice if you use fresh)
1/2 a peeled orange
1/2 cup or so of fresh or canned pineapple
1  6 oz container of lime yogurt
1/2 cup or so of orange juice
1-2 T of steel cut oats (you  can leave this out, we like the texture)

Blend well and enjoy!
Makes approximately two servings.

Baby stains

Babies are oh-so cute.  The messes they can make on their adorable clothing, not so much.

This stain remover doesn't touch the stains.  You know which ones I'm talking about.  The ones that come right after a squirm and a loud explosion.  This method works well if you take care of it immediately.  But since I'm not so good about taking care of the mess right away, I had a pile of clothes that I had tossed in water and let sit for a day a few days (Ok, maybe it was more like a week, but who's counting?).  Anyway, after using the method mentioned in the link above and washing them, I still had some stains in the clothing.  Feeling very frustrated, I used every stain treatment I had researched.  I had some Zout laying around so I sprayed that on the stains.  Later, I rubbed Dawn, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide into the remaining stain.  I left the clothes on my drying rack over the weekend and washed them this morning and the stains are totally gone.  Yay!

What's Cookin'

Mon~Mother's Day surprise dinner
Tues~Sandwiches, fruit, chips (picnic before soccer)
Wed~B and G club outing-bringing a veggie tray and cookies
Thurs~Yum Chicken, Garlic Rice Pilaf, broccoli
Fri~Chris's 38th birthday!!   Steak, parmesan orzo, brussel sprouts, salad, Best Vanilla Cake
Sat~Pizza, cold veggies
Sun~Chicken noodle soup, bread

Pics from last week

Aaron let himself outside after his nap.  T-shirt, diaper, winter boots, good to go!


Lukey sleeping in the cradle my Grandpa Roffel made.  He can probably fit in here for another month or two.


Little bros.  This didn't last long.


Noah, ready to play in his first soccer game.  Go Rovers!


First trip to the zoo this year and first trip with 5 boys!  Good thing Aunt Shell came along.


Aaron loved all the fowlery.


They would happily play on the train instead of looking at the animals.


Yup, this is as good as it gets.


He knows where the fruit snacks are and he knows how to open them.  Trouble.

Oreo Cake (The most delicious cake ever!)

If you love chocolate, you must make this cake.  Chris even said it was really good.  :-)

Oreo Cake

(recipe from my sis-in-law, Ang)

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix {with or without pudding}
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Mix all the above ingredients together.  Bake at 350 in a 9x13 for 35-40 min or 2 round pans for 25-35 min.

If you use a 9x13, put the ganache on top of the cake, then the frosting.  For the round pans, put the frosting in between the two layers and then the ganache on top.

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup choc chips

1/4 cup butter

Melt together and let cool.

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups thawed whipped topping

12 crushed oreos

Mix cream cheese and sugar together and then fold in whippped topping and oreos.

I was trying to cut the sugar a little bit, so I skipped the chocolate chips in the batter and didn't put the ganache on.  I baked it in 2 round pans and used reduced fat cream cheese, fat free sour cream, and fat free whipped topping.  Could have probably subbed some unsweetened applesauce for some of the veg. oil.  I crushed up a few extra oreos to sprinkle on top on the frosting.  It was still really yummy!