X's 4th Birthday: Space

Unfortunately we did not get very many pictures from X's 4th birthday. As always, something came up and we ended up at the neighbors house until 11 PM the night before while the fire department found our gas leak. Super fun. So I was exhausted. But it was a great party anyway. Even without photos. For the treat bags we made space slime, it was super fun and looked great. I also made X a two layer carrot cake with our solar system and a cool rocket shirt. Our counters are forever blue. Yes, the 4 is backwards. I forgot to mirror. It was late. It was a long long night. 

Those are all the photos I have though :( 

Road Trip Prep

We're going on a road trip for Spring Break. X has never liked the car, not even as a newborn. I have sat by the side of the road holding a screaming baby more often than I can count. I don't look forward to getting in the car with him ever. To the point that he had been on over 20 flights.  He's two guys.

Our last "road trip" was last summer. We were on our way home from Kansas (consequently we flew back to Kansas two days later). X screamed non stop from the Colorado state line to our house. That's over four hours, at 2am. It was awful. Which is why we flew back in two days despite the price of the last minute tickets into Kansas City.

So we're trying again, because we're going to Delta, where some lovely friends own a bar that we've been promising to visit since x was born. There's no airport. But we're doing it. I've spent hours preparing mentally and planning activities. My plan is to divide everything into three equal piles,  then divide each pile into two, then wrap each item, pack in bags, and hope to God it keeps him busy for 2.5 hours.  I realize this sounds dramatic, but I have a horrendous car baby. He's a fantastic plane baby though. 
I'm making a few "toys" that he can play with in his car seat. Hopefully they'll be novel enough to but me 20-30 minutes each. 

I made a felt button activity with color matching. Essentially he buttons and unbuttons them.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

I always have to hunt down this recipe and remember what I did, so now I am writing it down myself because it is X's absolutely favorite breakfast.


2 1/2 cups white wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup light brown sugar*
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I just make my own with lemon juice)
1 cup yogurt or a cup of milk or a combo
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons melted butter

 
1. Mix dry ingredients
2. Mix wet ingredients
3. Mix them together.
4. Add more milk if it is too dry
5. Cook in a waffle iron
Freeze leftovers!
*I find the white wheat flour is both dryer and more bitter than all-purpose flour. If you use all-purpose flour, I would decrease the sugar to 1/3 cup and decrease the milk or yogurt.

Family zoo day

Finger Painting Fun

I was much better at beinga stay-at-home-mom when I actually was one.  X and I had a great routine, consistent activities, variation and lots of fun. Now I have a toddler and I'm not used to it. It's like weekend all the time. So I'm trying to get back into this stay home thing without it being daily trips to target and doing dishes constantly. 

So we made some finger paints and painted outside. Huge success. 

1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Food coloring

Cook until thick, let cool, stir in colors in small cups. 

Updating

I have not been good about posting, so I am trying to at least get photos uploaded, then I can add text, but I am post dating everything to keep chronology. So...if you want to read posts you will have to go back to February or check out some tags. I am working on getting pictures up from Puerto Rico, Arizona, moving, buying a house, summer, spring.....so many photos. 

Actually, after a quick blog survey, it seems that I also never actaully updated from last year either. SO...I will be doing that too. Maybe I will just link to new posts, or put a list here, or something, but jesus I have some cute photos of X learning to walk and talk and now that I am over a year removed from it, the time with my dad was really great for X and me in some ways, and those pictures aren't even here. And so many holidays and trips and X is only 2. I can't get behind now! 

First day of summer break

Today is my first real day of summer break. With moving,  closing out the school year, meetings, parties,  etc I just haven't had a lot of time with x. So today we found a new park and had a great time. I can't believe I have a two year old!