Great Wolf Lodge

We just went to Great Wolf Lodge for the first time. If you don't know it is a hotel that has a indoor water park exclusively for it's hotel guests. We got a steal of a deal through Corom's work that we could not pass up.

It was a weird feeling to be in our swimming suits while it was below freezing outside! The kids just loved all the swimming and splashing. It was a great trip.

We ended it with ice cream for the kids!

Bran Muffins

I made these muffins for our Super Saturday breakfast. Everyone loved them and raved about how moist they were! So here is the recipe. I got it from my mother-in-law. Enjoy!

Bran Muffins

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups Raisin Bran cereal
4 cups Kellogg All Bran “original”
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups boiling water
5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
6 cups flour


1. In a large bowl add bran cereals and boiling water
2. Let it sit and break down to a mushy texture for about 5 minutes
3. Then mix in all the wet ingredients and sugar.
4. Sift in the dry ingredients.
5. Bake at 400⁰ for 20 minutes

Pumpkin Patch!

Here we are at the pumpkin patch!

Zia picking out her pumpkin. (We didn't get a picture of Malik picking his pumpkin, he was way to fast for us to get a picture!)



Group effort to get Zia's in the wagon :)


I just love this picture of Zia (she is in the process of hugging the pumpkin).

Malik helping Dad pick the "perfect" pumpkin!

Malik's 1st day of School!

Here is Malik's 1st day at Preschool! He was so excited to go and play with all the new toys and friends. I was not quite sure how he would do when I left but as you can see he did just fine!

Malik you are so big we are so proud of you!

True Love = Homemade Pie!

A wise man once said true love = blackberry pie. OK so that is Corom saying. So we have a deal. If he picks the blackberries I will make the pie.

Corom found a helper to go with him. Well I don't know if Malik is the best "helper", he likes more to eat the blackberries then to pick them!!! Note the blackberry juice on face and hands!

I am not a big blackberry pie person so a few years ago (while canning peaches) I thought there has to be a recipe for Blackberry Peach Pie!


Well there was and let me tell you, it is to die for!!!

Here it is....

4 cups blackberries

4 fresh peaches

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 double crust recipe

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Mix blackberries, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon together.
3. Pour 1/2 of mixture onto the bottom crust.
4. Cut and lay peaches down onto of 1/2 of blackberry mixture.
5. Pour remaining blackberries on top.
6. Place top crust .
7. I like to put an egg wash on top with sprinkled sugar on it.
8. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350 for 35 to 40.

Enjoy!

Flower pot card

Here is a fun card that I made. It reminds me of summer!

You pull our the insert to write your message on.

Card swaps

These were my cards that I swapped with my friends this month.

I really love this medallion stamp that Stampin up has come out with. You can make a simple card that looks so great!

This last one I really love! I used these new treat cups that Stampin up has just come out with. They are quite fun to put things in.

Just a close up of the treat cups. I have jelly beans and bats in there.

Thinking of you Mom!

I have a group of friends that get together every month and do craft projects with. Last month we made these cool flowers by following a cool technique that we saw at a stampin up event. (I for the life of me can not remember what the technique was called.)

But here is one of the cards I made with one of the flowers. I made this card for my mom who has always loved peach colored roses. I am really pleased with how well it turned out! Mom I am thinking of you and hope you are doing well in Africa!

Lake Sylvia camping trip

This year Corom and I thought that it would be fun to try out new camping spots. I found a place called Lake Sylvia. It is fairly close to Olympia but over towards the coast and thought that it might be fun. Sure enough it was! We went with some good friends of ares who have kids the same ages.

Here is Malik trying out fly fishing for the first time. Corom was very impressed at how well he was!

Malik and Bennett could not get enough of the rocks!

Zia's first experience with the canoe (before the trip) was not good. But after new life jacket that fit her she was good to go. She would get so mad every time she would see Bennett put her life jacket on!

We were all TOTALLY disappointed when we saw that there were "NO FIRES", but in fine print it said that briquets were OK!

So 32 lbs of briquets later we ended up with a nice "fire". It worked perfect and we didn't brake any laws! He he hee!

On the last day Zia and Bennett had a nice little nap together in the hammock!

Malik had his in the car. Perfect end to our perfect trip!

Got Beef???

I do! I just bought a 1/4 of a cow today! I think I freaked Corom out when I called him and told him the news! I had to decide fast to do it or not so I did it! It is organic and grass feed and it is only $2 lb! Just don't ask how many pounds I got!!!!

Oh and the other great news is Corom is now going to get a generator that I have been wanting for 3 years!!!!! To think all I had to do was buy a cow! ;)

Chicken & Feta Tabbouleh

This is a really good summer salad that I recently found. I just love it

Chicken & Feta Tabbouleh

3/4 cup uncooked Bulgur
1 cup boiling water
2 cups rotisserie chicken breast (cubed)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped English cucumbers
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup feta
1/3 cup green onions
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 Tbs lemon (we add a lot more!!)
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper

• Place Bulgur in medium bowl, add boiling water and cover for 15 minutes.
• Combine chicken and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add Bulgur (cool it first) and toss.

Note - It can be made before hand BUT you must add the lemon right before serving otherwise the bulgur absorbs the lemon and you can't taste it!!!!

Here is another card I made from the stamp set Animal story. It seems like it is missing something but here it is anyways.

Boating anyone???

We thought that it would be fun the try out canoeing with our kids. So I tried on our life jackets to see if they fit and this is what became of it.

I made a few mistakes. First one was tring it on right before her nap and secondly tring on a infant size!

Malik didn't seem to mind and quite frankly I think he is rather cute in it!

End the end Zia seemed ok it the jacket and that night we took the kids out on the lake. Malik just loved everything about it. He could not wait for Corom to come home so we coud go. Zia did ok for her 1st time. We have some ideas to make it easier for her next time. One of which is a life vest that fits her!!!

New stamp set

Here is a card that I whipped out really fast. It is super simple but I really like it.

I used Animal stories (new stamp set in the new SU catalog). I love the designer paper that matches.

Fresh Raspberries

Today I want and picked some raspberries with one of my friends and her kids. I always wonder how my kids will do when I try something new. I was so pleased with them both! I was able to pick about 23 pounds of raspberries (with help of course from Sarah!).

Look at all the red ones and Zia decides to pick the yellow one !?!

Malik had so much fun picking the raspberries and eating them until I think he got full and started to throwing them. I caught him stealing raspberries out of my friends tray just so he could throw them! Crazy BOY!

Here is an attempt at getting a family picture to remember our fun family outing! Notice the look on Maliks face (I took him away from playing to get the picture!).

Rasar state park

This was our 1st camping trip of the year. We made last minute plans to go camping with Corom's sister and her family. Rasar state park was one of the only options we had, so we went for it not knowing what it would be like and it was FABULOUS!

Car is packed and ready to go. (Not to mention video on!)

We are there and ready to walk down to the water.

Zia just loves to play in sand.

This was one of the best watermelons we have ever had!

Malik just loved to roast marshmallows and Zia just enjoyed snuggling up with Dad.

Just a little fun before bed!



This trip was so much fun! Ever since I was little I have always wanted to go on family camping trips and this was just the beginning of many.

Manly Birthday Callenge

I have some amazingly talented crafty friends and we had a manly card challenge. First of all I realized that I don't have any "manly" stamps so after borrowing this stamp set I was able to come up with this. And I was very pleased to stay the least.



Sorry it has been so long I feel like I have fallen of blogging world. I just haven't been able to get back into it after Hawaii and the swine flu. Not to mention that my son isn't taking naps anymore. So here is my first attempt at getting back into it. (Leah this ones for you :)!)

Easter

I have always wanted those cute and clean pictures of my kids on Easter. But I always seem to get these pictures where there dinner is all over there face and clothes. Their hair is messy from their naps. I guess I can't complain because even through the mess the are still so adorable!

Once Zia realized there was "CANDY" in the eggs there was no stopping here! She wanted to get as many as she could. It was funny to watch her! Malik was every much the same.