My daughter amazes me. She is much more brave than I was at her age. I was lucky enough to spend two days chaperoning her school field trip to camp last week. She got to enjoy lots of new experiences, including taking a daring ride on a zip line from 40 feet up. With my feet firmly and safely planted on the ground, I had a perfect opportunity to capture the moment in this photograph.
Reason #641 to be a parent: Re-discovering (at age 39) how much fun it is to play Hungry Hungry Hippos.
I am always amazed by the things my kids will think up to do if I don't tell them what to do.
This afternoon, The Princess made some paper aircraft ("Hoopsters") and she and Superman have been teaming up to fly them from the top of the stairs.
They came up with an interesting solution for getting the paper airplanes back up to the landing.
Yep, sometimes the greatest creativity is revealed when the grown-ups just stay out of the way.
Maybe I was inspired by all that comfortable nothingness. This year, we decided instead of taking the kids out for New Year's Eve, we would have our own celebration at home. The kids had a great time, and I think we created some wonderful memories for them. Maybe this is the start of a new tradition!
Things got started early in the morning, as The Princess helped me prepare some sugar cookie dough. Our favorite recipe is the one in Betty Crocker's Ultimate Cookie Book.
We put the dough in the fridge to chill for a few hours, and it was time to make the invitations. While The Princess worked on these, I blew up 72 balloons. More on that later.
At the appointed hour, we began the party by baking sparkling cookies. We took our chilled cookie dough and rolled it into walnut-sized balls. I set out plates of sparkling sugar, and the kids had fun rolling the dough in the sugar and putting it back on the cookie sheets.
We baked them at 375 for 10 minutes, and they turned out like this:
Next, it was time for the violin performance. Radar and The Princess teamed up to plan a concert.
After that, we played some Just Dance. and then it was time for dinner. We had tacos by candlelight (because everyone in my family will eat tacos).
And then, to ring in the New Year (at 6 p.m.), we had a balloon drop! We took the 72 balloons I had blown up earlier and put them into a sheet... which is harder than you might think.
The Bossman and I stood at the top of the stairs and the kids were at the bottom. The kids counted down and we let the balloons go! I didn't get any pictures of the balloons in flight; it was too complicated to do the balloon drop and hold the camera. I did get some shots of the aftermath though.
Yes, a great time was had by all, and I think we welcomed 2011 in great style. I hope you had a Happy New Year too!
We have a fun tradition in our family. On special mornings, I bake biscuits (from scratch, yes!) and after I roll and cut out a couple of pans full, I give the leftover dough to the kids. They get out the sprinkles and the cookie cutters and have fun! Here is this year's installment. If you look closely you might see some trees, an angel, and a gingerbread (gingerbiscuit?) man or two.
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Some of us made it up the hill faster than others, but everyone got to experience the thrill of a ride down. Which is just how it should be.
Happy Snow Day!
What a perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon!
Q: What has six legs, eight wheels, and goes really really FAST?
A: Three kids who have been cooped up in the house for far too many cold and rainy winter days!
The temperature creeped briefly above 50 degrees today and we took full advantage. I hope you had a chance to enjoy the outdoors too. Spring is coming... I just know it!
Set the table with festive placemats and napkins. Mix up one can of frozen lemonade concentrate. Add cranberry juice for color. Serve in a glass with an orange slice and a fancy straw. For a princess-perfect snack, spread a flour tortilla with cream cheese and jelly, roll up and slice into spirals. To complete the tea party, add an excited eight-year-old Princess.
Cheers!
We had a very unusual pre-Christmas snowstorm here, with about two feet of the white stuff! Of course The Bossman and I took the kids outside to play. As I was helping my three-year-old Superman down the hill, I urged him to walk in the footsteps left behind by his older brother and sister, for easier footing.
Looking up at me, he shook his head and stated firmly, "I want to make my OWN footprints." And that really got me thinking. My son might follow his older siblings' lead in some areas of his life, but he is indeed his own person and will do things in his own way, blazing his own trail. And that is a wonderful thing.
