Friday, August 21, 2009

Welcome to the World Little Boy

Welcome our Son
William Russell
8.5 pounds, 19 inches
Born 7:54 am
August 20, 2009

Will and Daddy


Big sister and Big Brother
Aunt Patty and Uncle Rick
Brooke and Will

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

BLESSED



* Blessed are those parents who make their peace with spilled milk and with mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood.

* Blessed is the parent who engages not in the comparison of his child with others, for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth.

* Blessed are the fathers and mothers who have learned laughter, for it is the music of the child’s world.

* Blessed and wise are those parents who understand the goodness of time, for they make it not a sword that kills growth but a shield to protect.

* Blessed and mature are they who without anger can say “no”, for comforting to the child is the security of firm decisions.

* Blessed is the gift of consistency, for it is heart’s-ease in childhood.

* Blessed are they who accept the awkwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalities.

* Blessed are the teachable, for knowledge brings understanding, and understanding brings love.

* Blessed are the men and women who in the midst of the unpromising mundane, give love, for they bestow the greatest of all gifts to each other and to their children.

The Beatitudes for Parents was written by Marion E. Kinneman

My favorite one is the one about consistency. I really work on instilling this in our daily lives. My husband I also make sure we are being consistent in how we parent and discipline together and when not together. We want our children to know that we are both on the same page and that they cannot get one over on one parent or the other.



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Friday, August 14, 2009

YUMMY.... BACK TO SCHOOL TREAT

Candy Apples… minus the apples.

It's back to school time already, so I thought I'd show you these super cute apple cake pops to celebrate. I'll try to showcase some new ones here and there in between baking other fun stuff.

Anyway, I thought these would be good today - and a great way to earn your kids brownie points right off the bat. Hmmm… brownie points with cake pops. I like it. They're also a fun way to just say "Thanks, Teach!" You can save the idea for later and they'll make great Teacher Appreciation gifts, too. You could even make tags for the lollipop sticks and they'll be extra special. Or maybe I'll make some for you that you can download. Wait, did I say that. Yikes. Okay, I'll do it. But not today. Or tomorrow… Soon, though.


Okay, I think you all know the drill by now. We need red candy melts. White works too if you add red "candy" coloring. I used chocolate cake for these, but use any flavor you want. Apple even. Follow the basic cake pop instructions and instead of shaping the cake and frosting into round balls, make them a little wider at the top than the bottom. Then press in the center of the top and the bottom with your fingers a little bit to make subtle indentions. You can also use a lollipop stick to make a spot for the stem.

And for the stem, you'll need pretzel sticks.

Not this many however … about 25 will do if you use the rounded ends. And if you don't care about the ends being pretty and round, then you can break each stick down into several pieces and use less sticks. Each stem piece only needs to be about 1/2 inch at the most. While the candy coating is still wet, attach the pretzel piece and leaf and then place in a styrofoam block to dry.

For the leaves, I used jumbo diamond sprinkles … the green ones. But, feel free to use anything you think will work. Check out the candy aisle for inspiration.

And voila… candy apples.

No… candy covered apple-shaped cakes.

Okay, how about just apple cake pops. Simple and cute.




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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Get the most out of the end of SUMMER

As the summer days start to dwindle down, your kids must take advantage of every sunny day from until school starts. Outdoor activities are not only perfect for exercise, but they also give kids the freedom to be creative. They are in charge of the games and activities they play. Teamwork, communication skills, and good sportsmanship are just a few life skills that outdoor games help develop. So get off that couch, grab your sneakers, and seize the summer day with a few of these great outdoor activities!

Beach Games

The beach is a perfect place to be on a hot summer day, and there are lots of opportunities to be active and have fun. When you and your children are getting ready to head out to the beach, grab a few fun toys. Don’t be afraid to get creative! The everyday beach ball, volleyball, and sandcastle building can only be fun for so long. Bring along a football, soccer ball, Frisbee, or even a lacrosse stick! Give your child the opportunity to be as creative as possible in creating a new game. Let them come up with the rules and have them tell you step by step the way to play.

Driveway and Street Play

There are so many opportunities that await right outside your house. Street hockey, a chalk maze, a bicycle or rollerblading obstacle course, or even creating your very own miniature golf course are all fantastic ways to keep your child entertained. Making up your own games can be extremely fun too. Take a look in the garage and find as many objects you can use to create a fun game. For example: Take those old life jackets, put on an old bike helmet, and grab that old Super Soaker! Play a game of water tag by running around and spraying each other.

“Frankie Says Relax”

Take your child outside, sit down, and relax. You can do this at a park, in the front yard, on a porch, or even in a safe spot on the roof! Lay out a blanket and watch the clouds. Take a couple of minutes and embrace nature. Now that you both have taken the time to listen, smell, and see what is going on around you, make up a story. Have your child start to tell a story and whenever they want, he or she can stop and pass it on to you. Now it’s your turn to continue the story by adding in the sights and sounds of your experiences.

And They’re Off!

Grab a magnifying glass and your safari hat and pull up your tube socks – you’re going on an adventure to catch the speediest bug you can find! Search in the dirt, on some leaves, and in the cracks of the sidewalk. Once you’ve found your bug, build up an arena speedway for the big race! Make sure there are walls so that your bug is moving in the right direction. Draw a start and finish line with sidewalk chalk and wave that checkered flag. Set down the bugs and the race is on. After the first heat, go search for different types of bugs and see which ones are faster. You can use a stopwatch for this activity and rank the bugs from fastest to slowest. Once you go back inside, have a drawing competition with your child to see who can draw the best picture of the champion bug.

Summer is quickly coming to an end, and it won’t wait for anybody! So grab your child and take advantage of this opportunity. Summers come and go; give your kid a reason to remember and cherish the time you’ve spent together! Your blessings only come into your life once, so cherish them!!!



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Sunday, August 09, 2009

THE END OF SUMMER 2009

Well our Summer has come to an end. And even though it was pretty busy, our family made some fantastic memories!!! From Dance Camp to Swim Team Banquet, to Vacation Bible School, to painting pottery with friends, these last 2 months have been amazily FUN! So this is good bye to SUMMER 2009 and hello to 2009 SCHOOL YEAR!!!

Alyssa at Dance Camp

Coach KIM


Coach LINDSEY


Coach MARY


Coach MIKE

ZAC RIDING THE WAVE



CUPCAKE DOING THE HULA


BERNIE AND ALYSSA


COUSINS AT BIBLE SCHOOL


AUNT ROSE AND THE KIDS



PAINTING WITH AVERY


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Sunday, August 02, 2009

Aly's Bowling ALLEY Party


A glow in the dark bowling party was such a great way to celebrate our cupcake turning 7. Alyssa had all of her friends that came to celebrate turning 7. Even though she doesn't get a chance to see alot of these kids throughout the year...due to different schools that some of them go too......she always gets a a kick out of seeing and spending time with them. All the kids got to play a game of bowling and then off to eat pizza, punch and cake!!! The gifts Alyssa received from her friends, will all be donated to a local children's shelter. Alyssa said to me after all the kids left and went home...."Mommy. I must be pretty special to have all these friends of mine come here today to celebrate the day I was born 7 years ago". At that moment I started to cry with JOY!!! Thanks to everyone who made Alyssa's birthday celebrations so special...Our family is so blessed!!!!


Alyssa getting ready to bowl

Alyssa's friends

Alyssa's friends

Alyssa's cousins

Alyssa's cake

Alyssa's favor bags for each of her friends to take home


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