Ghost Poop and Rat Droppings!

Happy Halloween!  In Pre-K today, we created a ghastly snack!  (I baked orange cookies, bought vanilla icing, and chocolate sprinkles...)



I told the children they were going to decorate pumpkins with ghost poop.  They LOVED it!

Then I passed out 'rat droppings' for them to sprinkle on. 



Needless to say, we have had hyper friends all afternoon!  Hallelujah for nap time in Pre-K!

Someone woke up early to wait on the Great Pumpkin! HA!

Happy Haunting!

Summer

Pre-K Halloween

     My favorite time of year in the classroom is the fall, namely Halloween!  Here's what we did this week, mind you, we only had a four day week and I couldn't cram any 'fun' literacy things in our days because our school literally adapted the Scott Foresman Pre-K Literacy program two weeks ago and my principal is pretty die hard about it.  (I despise the program, but that's another blog, another day...)

Did I mention it was also Red Ribbon Week, so my FAVORITE all time day ever was jammie day.  I live for that day, people.  The name "jammie day" explains itself.  Hallelujah. 

     I hope you enjoy our creations:

Glue Ghosts!

• Kiddos pour globs of white (Elmer's) glue on parchment paper, hold up paper so glue 'slides' down to resemble ghost. 
• Sprinkle on glitter, press in googly eyes.  Let dry for 24 hours.  Wa-lah!

Itsy Bitsy Spiders (Haunted Houses)

• These are so neat because they 1. teach the nursery rhyme, 2. excite the kiddos 3. small form of small motor skill
• 1.  color and cut out Haunted House
• 2. Staple bottom of plastic straw to one side (it's a 'drain pipe') on the house
• 3.  Slip on spider ring through the straw (available at Walmart for cheeeeeap in Halloween aisles)
• 4.  Staple other end of straw to secure ring.
• 5.  Kiddos can sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider Song and act it out with the houses!

We displayed these outside my room.  (Once completed, this one was 'Darth Vader'.)  I LOVE how imaginative they are!!

Simple Skeletons using Stick People!  They LOVED this one!

Rotating this wasn't an option...stupid computer...anyways.  It is a simple counting spider book, you could make it in five minutes using Word and spider clip art.  We wrote the numbers in during small group math time, put the books together as a class, and read them as a class.  Their 'homework' was to read them to their parents.  :)

That's all I have for now, I forgot to take pictures of some of the things we did, and good ol' (roll eyes) Scott Foresman sure did take up most of our time this week.  Happy Halloween ya'll!  If you want copies of any of these things, let me know and I can email you them!  :)

Wondering when Scott Foresman will be fun,

Summer

Chicken and Noodles Upgrade

Best comfort food during cold weather?  You guessed it!  (Or maybe you didn't, whatever....)  HA!  Ok, seriously, chicken and noodles are my go to every time.  But there are so many steps.  It it's time consuming. And my normal recipe could feed the Duggar Family...you know, the family that just keeeeeps on growing?!

Then I discovered something on Pinterest.  Normally I am skeptical about recipes I find on there because they might look good, but they end up being weird or gross or just NOT what I thought they would be.  Not this one!  Here's the link to it.  Now here's what I did...

Chicken and Noodle Happiness

Oven: 350 degrees

9 X 13 Casserole Dish

- 1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken (Walmart, deli section); deboned and shredded

-1 package egg noodles (found in pasta aisle, next to regular pasta)

-2 cans cream of chicken soup

-1 bag of shredded cheese (2 cups)...I used sharp cheddar

-1 small can of carrots-drained

-1 cup milk

-1/4 c Ritz crackers- crushed

-dash of hot sauce, salt, pepper, whatever you like..maybe oregano?

1.  Boil pasta- only takes about 6 minutes.  Debone chicken while it's cooking...don't forget, oven at 350...

2.  Combine 1 1/2 cups cheese, chicken, soup, cooked noodles, milk, and spices.  Dump in casserole dish...maybe not dump...pour?

3. Sprinkle cracker crumbs all over.

4.   Cook for 20 minutes covered.  Take off foil, top with remaining cheese, cook another 5-10 minutes or until bubbly.

YUMMO!

Peace, Love, Chicken

Summer

Honey Boo...Boo :(

Since school has started for me again, I have had crazy days at work and tiresome nights with my poor sick babies.  

The good news, Mr. Z had a great checkup at his 2 month check...weighing in at a whopping 12 pounds.  I mean, come on!  He is already in size TWO diapers.  TWO...  Good golly!  Anyway, now that my initial shock factor has worn off, here we are with the ah-mazing Dr. Ross!  

He is such a wonderful man!  BEST. DOCTOR. EVER.  I'm so blessed to have him deliver both of my children and also be their pediatrician.  

The point of this post, however, is to share with you the complete fantastic-ness of honey.  Who knew it was so much more than a sweetener or delish stuffing in biscuits?  My dearest friend Candace told me if you heat up a tablespoon or more of it and dispense it to your child, it takes away their cough.  I thought she was joking until my second day back to work...Poor Bee was up all night coughing.  The next night I was prepared!

I heat a small amount of honey in the dish (like 4 seconds in the microwave..seriously, I did 10 secs the first time and it was so hot I had to shove it in the freezer for ten minutes to cool it down!).  Then I suck it up in the syringe and slowly squirt it in kiddo's mouth before bed.  She loves it and it truly does calm her cough all night.  HA!  I knew there was a reason we called her BEE!  :)  

I hope this helps all you mommies out there with sick babies.  It really does break your heart when they don't feel good!

Thankful God gave us Bees (and honey!),
Summer

***DISCLAIMER:  Never give honey to infants younger than 1 year. Honey is a known source of bacterial spores that produce the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium makes a toxin that can cause infant botulism. This rare but serious form of food poisoning affects a baby's nervous system and can result in death. Unlike adults, infants haven't developed beneficial bacteria in their digestive tracts that can control botulism spores and prevent growth of the bacterium and production of its toxin.

Botulism spores are also found in uncooked food. For this reason, feeding an infant any undercooked food is risky as well.
Source(s):
http://www.mayoclinic.com

Friday Five

OH MY!  This week has been so full of exciting things!  I hardly know where to begin!  I suppose a Friday Five is in order:
1.  My precious baby nephew was born on Tuesday.
  
Welcome to the world, Jett Michael!

2.  I met all my sweeties on Monday!  I had literally a day and a half to assess them and get to know them before parent-teacher conferences (YIKES!).

  But they were troopers and I am so happy that they are so bright and eager to learn!  (I am so so so happy that I can wear normal clothes again!!)

3.  I heard this song on the Christian Radio Station the other day...It was so moving!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlTzH9xkXQ  Phil Wickham is an amazing artist!!!!

4.  Little Man is out of 0-3 month jammies!  We are moving on to 3-6 month!  A small part of me wants to panic knowing my 'baby' is growing so fast!  
Needless to say, I am cherishing every moment with him.  :)

5.  I am hooked on Breaking Amish on TLC...I don't know how much of it is actually reality and how much of it is directors telling the kids to do something for ratings...but it is fascinating!  Check it out!

So glad to be back on the Pre-K bandwagon,
Summer

Cheesie chunkies!

In lieu of Saturday Football, our good friends came over and we feasted on homemade wings and these beauties. They are super easy and pretty tasty.

Here's the low down:
-1 pkg string cheese
-1 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian).
-1/2 cup milk

1. Put milk in a bowl.
2. Put breadcrumbs in a plate.
3. Cut each string cheese into four pieces.
4. Dip in milk, toss in crumbs.
5. Oven 425 for 8-10 minutes. Yummo!

Friday Five!

This is my last Friday Five of Maternity Leave.  I'm struggling with being excited about going back to work and being with littles all day and sad because I am closing another chapter of my life (no more babies!).  Luckily, my own children have an ah-mazing nanny who loves them as much as my Hubby and I do.  :)  SO blessed!

Ok, here goes nothing:

1.  I was poking around one of my favorite stores, Mardel, and I found this little gem in the back on clearance.  It was SIXTY CENTS!  Isn't it sweet?  I finally took down my husband's tacky OU ornament...(Ironically, I went to OSU!)

 

 

2.  My dear, sweet friend from college bought a beautiful house and moved her little family even farther away from me!  So we made the 60 minute road trip south to see her.  Bee had a BLAST playing with friends her own size and only got a 45 minute nap the whole day without shedding a tear.  YAY for Bee! (Candace, I love your new abode, I promise we won't wait this long to see each other again! xoxo)



3.  I am big on moisture and soft skin.  My momma found this luxurious body wash at WalMart.  It made my skin so soft I didn't need post shower lotion and one of my friends actually thought I shaved my arms, my skin was so smooth.  (No, I don't, that sorta freaks me out...gross...)

 

 

 

4.  I found a fun teacher blog!  She is a first grade teacher with great ideas, precious classroom, and fun pictures!  :)  Visit her here.

 

5.  My cream cheese icing recipe I promised you from Bee's birthday.  (To see that post, click here).  I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com, but added my own touches.  It's so easy, spreadable, and delish!

 

Cream Cheese Icing

- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened (I left mine out on the counter overnight)

- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (ditto)

-2 cups powdered sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/4 c cold milk

*if you want to flavor your icing use jam.  (i.e. I wanted strawberry icing for Bee's cupcakes, so I added a couple tablespoons of good ol' strawberry jam.  It gave the icing a beautiful color and a great flavor).

 

1.  Carefully combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until completely combined.  If you use a mixer, which I recommend, start on the lowest setting so you don't get powdered sugar on your ceiling.

2.  To pipe icing, spoon into one side of a freezer bag, push to corner of bag, snip of end of bag, and carefully squeeze onto cupcakes. 

 

 

Happy Friday, Ya'll!

xoxo Summer

Chiliti

Chiliti.  Delish.  (pronounced 'shell-eh-ti).  My Momma came across the recipe in the 60's and cooked the wonderful dish while camping in Alaska.  It was that easy and that good!

Here's what you need:

 **(PLUS 1 pound ground beef)

- brown meat in a skillet, add beans and spaghetti. 

-bring to a boil

-pour chips, scoop on the meaty goodness, add cheese.  BAM!  enjoy :)

Happy Camping my friends!

Summer

Smashed Potato Cakes

I made these tonight alongside meatloaf and salad.  They were life-changingly good! 

(NOTE:  They need to be thin when you form the cakes otherwise they will fall apart when you flip them when they are frying.)

 

Smashed Potato Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

 

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubed (1-inch) Yukon gold potatoes
• 3 1/2 cups panko, divided
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
• 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large Dutch oven, combine potatoes and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and mash.

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, 2 cups panko, egg, cheese, bacon, onion, butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, and pepper. Form potatoes into 3-inch patties; dredge in remaining panko.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add potato patties, and cook, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown and crisp. Serve immediately.

Enjoy the potato goodness!
xoxo Summer

Guardian Angel Grandmother

My Grandmother passed away a year and a half ago.  I loved her very, very much.  She had so many grandchildren and she loved each and everyone of us with all her heart-- she always said her family was her biggest accomplishment. 

A woman so amazing is not easily forgotten... 

Then once our family gets together and starts talking, we realize she is still in our lives.  When I had Rylie, I heard her voice in my ear encouraging me through the final intense pushes.  When my sister was cooking one day, she knew my Grandmother was in her kitchen smiling at her attempt to create something (Sarah isn't the most domestic sister...bless her heart).  One time, my father heard her talking to him and it woke him up out of a deep sleep (trust me, when he sleeps he is OUT-- not even his loud snoring phases him! Ha!)

 Then there was the time Rylie was so constipated and sick I was afraid we were going to have to go to the hospital.  I prayed and prayed to God, dealing with my poor baby screaming in pain for hours with my Aunt Sharla.  (We were visiting my parents).  We tried everything to help her.  Giving up, we both asked Grandmother to comfort her and to help her poop.  Not ten seconds later, Rylie was calm and quiet.  Her screaming stopped and she sighed.  We could feel my Grandmother was with us and she had helped Rylie.  (And I had one GIANT poopy diaper to clean!) 

Then this happened...

This past Friday, my cousin was driving home on a road he was not familiar with and accidentally ran a red light.  He hit someone and totalled his car.  When the police showed up, they expected the accident to be a fatality...When they were looking for my cousins' licence and insurance documents on the road (they had been 'smashed' from the car), they found them on the side of the street.  Next to the papers there was a picture of my Grandmother he had put in his car a long time ago.  My cousin walked away from the accident without a scratch.  (The other driver was also ok, praise Jesus!)  My Grandmother, a woman who never had a driver's licence or driving experience, was Cousin's saving grace.

When my Momma called me today and told me what had happened, the power of his story brought me to my knees.  It shook me to the core.  It made me realize there is so much of life and God that we do not understand, but if we trust him and put our faith and heart in him, just like my Grandmother did, then we will be alright.  He will take care of us and help us, just like his angels do.  Just like my Grandmother.

I love you, Grandmother.  (And yes, I promise to stop swearing and being so judgemental).  :)

Humbled beyond words,
Summer

My first post ever, and tribute to my Grandmother

Friday Five...on a Saturday

Bass Bunch Update:
  Well things are moving fast here on the home front!  I go back to work in 9 days.  Ugh.  Here is my Friday Five that I didn't have time for yesterday because my poor sweet Bee has been sick.  We had to wait for my Hubby to get home from work so I could take her to the doctor.  (I'm not about to wrangle TWO children under the age of 2 into a waiting room full of sick kids...)  Luckily, poor girl just has a cold.

Saddest face ever!

 

Friday Five:

 

1.  Tulsa Pediatric Urgent Care, Tulsa, OK.  These guys were great!  We only had to wait 5 minutes to see a doctor and they were so sweet to poor Bee.  She even got a sticker when it was time to go home.

Waiting on the doctor.

 

2.  Beth Moore!  I ordered one of her books (finally!), and I'm so excited to read it!  I love that she reaches out to women and her Bible Studies are so easy to relate to and make you feel good.

The best part?  I found it on Amazon.com and bought it used for UNDER $4.  Score!

 

3.  Colic Calm Gripe Water.  Two words:  Life. Saver!  This stuff gets rid of hiccups, gas, upset stomach, and even occasional constipation in little babies.  We lived for it when Rylie was colicky and we broke down and bought the $20.00 bottle again for little Zacharia.  (IT'S WORTH THE MONEY!)  It's all organic and natural so you can administer it as much as needed, however it is a black liquid-crazy right?!- so it can stain clothes if you don't spot treat spills and baby will poop black which is strange but completely normal!  We can only buy it at CVS Pharmacy around here...check out their website for more info.  We call it Black Gold!!  HA!

 

 

4.  New hair options...  It's down to two contenders...

 

1.

2. 

 

5.  My new BCBG shoes!  From the clearance aisle of Marhalls for under $40.  Yes, Ma'am!

 

Wondering how to slow down time next week...

xoxo Summer

 



 

Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of...Sausage!

Fall is here.  It's AH-MAZING!  I am in baking/cooking/crazy woman in apron mode!  Here is my version of the infamous Jimmy Dean Sausage Ball recipe.

Summer's Sausage Balls

 

1 pound (tube) sausage *higher quality sausage= more flavor

1/4 c water

1 bag (2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp...)

2 cup Bisquick

1/2 tsp salt

dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce

Oven- 375 degrees

• To mix everything, I use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment.
• Dump everything in the bowl, mix until a 'dough ball' of sausage goodness forms.  (You can mix everything with your hands but...that gets messy to say the least).
• Roll into little balls, bake for about 20 minutes...they should be sort of orangey colored (cheese) and slightly doughy on the inside. 

• I always check to see if they are done by cutting one open.  If it's super doughy, it's still needs about 5-7 minutes.