Kale Chips, Magic Tricks & Homemade Puffy Paint

Its been a fun week! I have got in a lot of work and had a lot of fun with the kids on projects too!

This week we tried Kale Chips- baked with just some olive oil and salt- the kids LOVED them! What a great alternative to potato chips or some other crunchy side at lunch time. Open faced grilled cheese with tomato and mushrooms and a side of kale chips..yumm..

Kale Chips: 

Rinse, remove stems, bake on tray at 350 for up to 10 minutes until feeling crispy! Turn half way through...I had to bake mine a little longer due to having it piled up on the tray, thinking a thinner layer next time will be better!

We headed to our favorite library to catch a Kids Magic Show. There were about 30 kids that attended a 45 minute show. My shy boy sat on my feet the whole time in front of me and never engaged or raised his hand...at the end of the show I asked if he liked it and he was so excited about it he checked out a magic book at the library then we came home to find 'how to' videos for him on kids coin tricks- As I made dinner he practiced his tricks then performed for me! So glad he loved it!

Here's the YouTube link to the video: 

Coin Trick for Kids

He has 8 great, simple videos for kids- My son, age 7 was able to follow the directions and learn the trick himself.

Then we also had craft fun this week...the kids are really into the Zelda game on our old system so they wanted to make shields to go with their swords. We used a homemade puffy paint recipe to make the emblem then the kids painted their shields. They had so much fun watching it rise in the microwave! 

The Mess....

 Homemade Puffy Paint Recipe: 

1 Cup Flour

3 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Salt

A little water to get pancake batter consistency- not too runny

Food Coloring of Choice

Stick the 'paint' in a ziplock baggie and cut the very tip off, using it like an icing bag and paint your picture...Then microwave it 30-45 seconds- ours were right at 35 and there you go- all dry, hard and puffed up!!

 Painting time...

 Ready to Fight! and little pup trying to get in the pic!

Great week, and we relaxed some too! Reading, movies...and playing with the pups!

Camp,Books & Puppy Names

A week ago, last Sunday our family was driving our daughter to 4H camp, 4 hours away from home. Nerves were getting me, she had been away from home for a few one night sleep overs but nothing for this long. She was excited! I knew so many of the campers, parents and 4H staff/leaders that I completely trusted her being away for a week with them. Now if you would have asked me to send her away on '6th' grade camp with her school last year? The answer would be NO.

We made it to the camp site, checked her in.  She got a camp t-shirt and a name tag and I helped her make her bunk in her cabin then we said good byes. Our son thought it was pretty funny we saw cows up in the forest!

And on Thursday afternoon we picked her back up! Me, our puppy and son made the trip since hubbie had to work- wow was that an adventure but we made it.  She sang camp songs all the way back and talked my ear off- but I loved it and soaked up every word, minute of it and memory she shared with me.  She had an awesome experience. We got showered by huge thunder and lightening storms on the way home which made our 4 hours turn into 5 so needless to say everyone was pretty exhausted!

Nothing too exciting on the meatless meals front, we are still keeping as free as we can from animal protein.  This week a few meals we have planned:
Ravioli's and Asparagus
Potato Puffs and Mixed Veggies
Fettuccine and Red Bell Pepper Sauce with Salad and Garlic Bread
Veggie Chow Mein with Spring Rolls
Home made Veggie Pizza's

We made our weekly trip to the library and we've been discussing home school field trips and interests already...
I was so proud...I went to go look for a magazine and our son asked our daughter to help him find the animal section. I come back and I so wish I had my camera- here are my two kids in the midst of a pile of books talking about going to see Penguins and learning about Sea Life- a real discussion, no arguing, both kids having similar interests, really talking together- AMAZING :) You have to appreciate those little moments you have!! Thanking the Lord for this blessing today!!
So, amongst the fun books- they each got sea life, penguin, shark, crab, jelly fish and octopus books!
What our son is reading...

What our daughter is reading....

What I'm reading...Puppy Training and Meals!

And as for the Puppy?? I suppose there hasn't been a final, final decision made on whether to keep him...I want to although I know its bad timing with so much going on.  But I suppose we are getting closer to keeping him since the kids finally settled on a name last night after much debate...KODA.

Here's to a relaxing Sunday with the family and a hopefully not too crazy week! I'm so happy to have our daughter back and thankful for the wonderful experience she has had.

Happy 4th of July! Catching up here...Many blessings

Happy 4th All!!
It been to long, to say the least, it has been hectic around here since the last posting.  I woke up this morning, enjoying the sun rise with a cup of hot coffee while the pups wandered about the yard, my quiet before the children wake....and I thank God for my life. Through good times, bad times, hard times, I have so many blessings to be thankful for.  We've been going through our struggles lately but just as the morning sun rises each day, I know there are amazing blessings tucked in between the difficult times of every day I get to be with my amazing children, husband, family in this life.

Review since our last day of school post...We have been busy:

A birthday for our daughter in San Diego with a wonderful trip to the Wild Animal Park, visit to the ocean, trip to the mall, playing at the park and visiting with family and friends then of course the birthday celebration!

Art Fun:
Painting Rocks into animals...

Making their own 4th of July t-shirts! They did a great job!

We've also had fun making home made playdough, sewing, baking and growing crystals!

And then we've played a lot! Park days, trips to the river for water fun, spraypark at the playground...oh and inside we've had 'sumo' wars stuffing pillows under our shirts, board game fun, lots of reading and camping out inside.

Two kids, two dogs in a home made tent = trouble! But also = tons of FUN!

Weekly Library trips for books and movies and books on CD....this is what we came back this week..

What our son is reading: We found these great books to read 'together' to keep his motivation and reading skills going strong- he loves to have us read with him!

 Our daughter continues to read American Girl and just got into the Mystery series.

 As for me, the craft book is for my daughter and I, the 'Rurally Screwed' is for fun..its GREAT so far...true story of 'My Life off the Grid with the Cowboy I Love'...and the puppy/dog books? Oh boy...yes we ended up with a puppy, well a 4 1/2 month old pup boy. Is he here to stay? We don't know yet!

Puppy time! Swiss Mountain Dog, Beagle, Sharpei is what we are told, but cute, sweet and playful is what he is no matter what mixture is in there! And that makes 3 pups in this family right now!

 Pup with our Swissy, Sadie girl.

 Our jack russell loves to perch on the back of the couch...he thought he would give it a go!

Enjoying toys on the doggie bed.

To come....Today is 4th of July...husband works till 3pm, me and the kiddo's have plans to enjoy each other and play some board games, work on some festive crafts, clean up the house a bit for daddy then when we gets home have a bbq with Grandpa and go enjoy fireworks tonight. A lazy, fun family 4th!

School is DONE time for FUN!

That's it! We're all done for the year! Onto our wonderful summer, detoxing from regular school and heading to home school. Week in review: Class parties at the community pool, pizza party, year book signings and fun field days then saying good bye to a few great teachers and getting phone numbers to stay in contact with friends! It was a good end of the year week and both kids had fun!

Our family took a Lake Trip to relax for the day and there's going to be plenty of these kinds of trips this summer! Snacks, raft time, relax time, sun time- FUN time!!

This weekend...our daughter went to a birthday sleepover and our son is recouping on the couch- he's caught a cold. It's been a cooler weekend so we've tackled some yard work and house work while the kids rest up!

Playing Blog Catch Up! Life just happend...

A no blogging stint going on here! I don't know what happened...oh yes I do...crazy life! Just when you think things are calm and settled..boom!

Catch up...
School is coming to an end...next week is the last week for the kids and we are over joyed- they are finally coming back home to home school!!

I've been busy trying to re work my schedule and land some admin work from home so I don't have to be out of the house and CAN school them. It's coming along. I was pretty stressed out for a few weeks and now things seem to be falling together. I've been meditating, talking with family & friends and praying on it. I just have to be patient and I know God has an amazing plan for our family.

We've still been going to the library weekly. The kids can't seem to get enough, well and neither can I- but I really have to limit how many books I get. I have the best intentions and never get around to every book I pick out! We have been getting everything from books to books on CD, and videos too.

I'm reading:
I would highly recommend One Thousand Gifts, 'A Dare to Live fully, right where you are' by Ann Voskamp- I'm nearly half way through and just loving it. I cried the first whole chapter and here and there throughout the book- it is emotional, spiritual, so deep. The other two I saw recommends on another blog- I can't wait to read them!

Our 7yr old son is reading:
Charlotte's Web is our family reading book- I read it to the kids and they were both interested in the Spanish/English dictionary- guess I'd better brush up on my Spanish so I know what they are saying...I see a foreign language in our schooling future!

Our 11yr old daughter is reading: Theme?? American Girl of course!

We picked up our wonderful basket this weekend- and what a blessing- everything was items the kids love and will eat:

Hubbie and his Dad have been working hard for weeks to get hard wood floors installed in our home- the front room is finally finished and painted, they did fantastic work!

Mother's Day didn't go un-noticed! I feel very loved, my son first thing when he woke up came and hugged me telling me Happy Mother's day and excitedly got a card from his backpack, giving it to me- hand made from school. Hubbie also gave me a card and lovely flowers.

 A few vegan meals for the week:  Pasta with Asparagus, Tomatoes and Zucchini and Artichokes

 Hubbie made awesome Vegan Shepard's Pie w/Vegan 'meat' crumbles

I finally got some organization going on...weekend project to organize the craft supplies to be easily accessible to the kids- with the exception of two 'Ask Mom' drawers that have the paints and other need supervision things (mainly for the 7yr old!).  The kids love it!

Last but not least....a few pup pics- Rusty with the new Cavy- giving her kisses- and Sadie loving on her new bear toy!

This week should be eventful with the kids both having pool parties and end of the year classroom parties, year book signing days and a lot of fun saying good bye to school! Then its all FUN...a few weeks later we head to Cali for our daughters 12th birthday! We are looking forward to what the summer will bring!