Month: November 2019

Thank You Cards

Dear Sis,

William is making his own thank you cards this year! He glued the following note into each card: 

Thanks for helping me celebrate turning 3. I can’t wait to spend the winter enjoying all the BIG BOY toys, craft supplies, books, and clothing my family and friends gave me. Love, William & Family

Then, he decorated them with some of the stickers he got for his birthday:)

Giving and receiving are acts of sentiment and goodwill worthy of a bit of time and effort to express gratitude. Like all healthy habits… the younger you can start… the better:)

Love,

b

 

The Jungle Gym

Hi Sis,

Well, I’ve done it. lol I gone and ordered an indoor jungle gym for Evelyn. Winter life in the snowbelt is hard on a kid that just wants to play outside. It is hard on the parents too, when the kid isn’t burning all their energy before bed! Problem solved. We ordered the Panda Jungle gym, and it arrived today!

Our child has a hard time keeping her tongue in her mouth. lol

Assembly didn’t take long with two professionals on site!

   One the jungle gym was up the playing starting immediately. 

She is one happy kid. As soon as da-da got home from work she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the living room to see the jungle gym.

Love,

Jamiegoof

Cinnamon Cheesecake Dip

Dear Sis,

Today during nap time I enjoyed the last of the leftover Cinnamon Cheesecake dip we served during William’s party.

Cinnamon Cheesecake Dip
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Ingredients
  1. 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  2. 1/2 (8 oz) tub whipped topping, thawed
  3. 1 (5 oz) cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  4. 1/4 c brown sugar
  5. 2 t cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Beat all ingredients together.
  2. Chill until ready to serve.
  3. Serve with apple sliced and graham cracker sticks.
Adapted from Real House Moms
Adapted from Real House Moms
Tag Sis, You're It! https://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Love,

b

Two Months Old!

Dear Sis,

The crazy from William’s third birthday is dissipating as we celebrate Charlotte turning 2 months!

Love,

b

 

William is 3!

Dear Sis,

It is hard to believe my boy that was a tiny baby, not so long ago, is a BIG BOY! …which he reminds me daily. This year he was an active part of planning his party. Here is the plan we made together:

Theme: Construction

Menu:

Build-a-Pizza Bar

Traffic Cone Cheese

Wrecking Ball Grapes

Nuts and Bolts Chex Mix

Dip-Ahead Vegetable Platter

Tile & Mortar Graham Cracker Sticks with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Apple Juice & Iced Tea

Cake: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

Favors: Rice Crispy Treat Paint Brushes

Activity: Construction Play Doh Table

We had an wonderful turn out of out-of-state family to celebrate with us and meet 8 week old Charlotte. 

Mom arrived with her parents Thursday evening and stayed though this morning.

Josh’s family arrived Friday evening.

When William saw P-pop (Josh’s dad, on the right) and one of his older brothers,

Great Uncle Buddy, he said, “Two P-pops!” It gave everyone a good laugh.

It’s a rare treat to have a picture of Granny Bob! She usually escapes capture by being the photographer.

Aunt Jamie, Granny, and I in our natural habitat… the kitchen!

Our family doesn’t designate a gift opening time. I let William select, open, and play with each gift one at a time.

It takes all day, but he gets to really appreciate each item before turning his attention to the next one:)

Another rare occurrence… me sitting! I love breast feeding because its great for baby of course, but it is also great for me. It makes me take a minute to sit down and breath, look into those pretty baby eyes that still haven’t decided which color they will be, and remember to enjoy the moment I’m in. Plus, my diaper bag is way less burdened:)

Aunt Angel has become a Charlotte whisperer!

Great Granny (Josh’s Mom’s Mother)

Great (My Mom’s Mother)

Before everyone left Sunday morning, we got our first pictures as a family of four.

Granny Bob was taking some shots before we knew it was photo time.

I like how natural we all look in this one! A true moment captured:)

Love,

b

First Snow

Hi Sis,

We had our first snow today! I got to watch the deer walk across it this morning. We have a doe and her two babies, which aren’t really babies any more.

Love,

Jamiegoof

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

Dear Sis,

My need for thrift often pushes me into new adventures. William wants ice cream cake for his birthday. The idea of buying ice cream cake for 25 people makes me cringe. I can’t be that hard to make I thought! …and I was right. It isn’t hard. It just requires a shelf cleared in the freezer and two days to perform all the freezing between very simple steps.

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake
Serves 20
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Ingredients
  1. 1 box Devil's Food Cake mix
  2. 1/3 c milk chocolate chips
  3. 2 (1.5 qt.) tubs Cookies and Cream ice cream
  4. 1 jar fudge sauce
  5. 20 oreos, crushed
  6. 2 (8 oz) tubs whipped topping, thawed
  7. additional cookies for decorating
Instructions
  1. One the first day, prepare cake according to package directions. Mix in chocolate chips just before pouring batter into two round pans and baking. Cool. Wrap cakes in plastic and freeze.
  2. Line cake pans with plastic. Scoop 1 tub ice cream into each pan. Top with additional plastic wrap. Press to make ice cream take the shape of the pan. Re-freeze.
  3. On second day, combine fudge sauce and crushed cookies.
  4. Unwrap ice cream rounds and place on serving plates or cake boards. Top each with half the fudge cookie mixture. Spread evenly. Unwrap cakes. Place one cake over each fudge topped ice cream round.
  5. Frost with whipped topping. Decorate as desired. Freeze until frosting is set.
  6. Rewrap in waxed paper and plastic.
  7. Thaw 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Adapted from I Wash You Dry
Adapted from I Wash You Dry
Tag Sis, You're It! https://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

I can’t wait to try it with different flavors!

Love,

b