Greeneteam - Living the Life

My lefty learns to tie her shoes!!

2012-02-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

Most kids learn to tie their shoes in K or 1st grade. Maddie has been home schooled her whole life so never really went through some of the traditional things that you would do in public school like learning to tie her own shoes. That may sound horrible to some of you, and maybe it is???? I don't know, I just never really worried about it. I figured when she wanted to learn to tie her shoes she would learn.

Today was the day. She came to me at bedtime and said "Mama I am ready to learn to tie my shoes. Can we try?" Sure I said "go grab a shoe." I showed her a time or two. She tried and failed. Then it hit me that I needed to reverse some of it because she is a lefty. I reversed the way I did the bunny ears, showed her, and within a few tries she had tied her shoe. Woo hoo Maddie!!

She was soooo proud she wanted to show everyone. She started with daddy and failed. Pressure?? Maybe?? She then came back for a few more lessons and before bed was pretty confident that she was indeed able to tie her shoes.

Tomorrow I know she will get up and ask to practice again. Why?? Because she is ready and she wants to know how. She wants to prove to the world that she can indeed tie her shoe!!

What can I say?? This is another proud home school moment.

Some of you may ask WHY?? You may think that she is two years late in tying her shoes. I on the other hand look at it as though she learned in less than 45 minutes because she was ready, wanted to, and is excited about it. That kind of learning makes my day. Learning because she wants to. I call that a huge success!! Way to go Maddie!! So proud of you.

Somehow, I just knew that my girl would know how to tie those shoes before heading off to HARVARD, YALE or OXFORD. When Maddie wants to do something or learn something watch out world!!

Great Aunt Mary's Homemade Potato Skins

2011-11-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

About a year ago my mom was telling me that when she was growing up Aunt Mary would try to use everything food wise as much as she could to make things stretch and go farther. She then told me she even used her potato peels to make, you guessed it, Potato Skins.

In the winter I use more potatoes because I make soups. I thought I would give my moms/aunts trick a try. After much experimenting I think I finally have it nailed down. The perfect potato skins using something you would normally toss out. Enjoy!!

The finished product!!

Step 1: Peel your potatoes a little thicker than you normally might. I was never a great potato peeler so this is really not a big adjustment for me. :)

Step 2: Wash them really good and then toss out any that just won't make a good potato skin. This was all that I threw out from the big bucket above.

Step 3: Dry them off a bit and then toss with just a tiny amount of olive oil/salt. Once you have done this you will place on a baking sheet to pre-bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees. You want to bake them to get them dry so they won't turn color when you freeze.

Step 4: Let them cool before putting them in a bag. Freeze them for your next party, appetizer night, dinner etc.

Step 5:Pull as many as you need from the freezer. Bake them at 375 until heated through about 20-25 minutes. Then top them with cheese and bacon and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Voila the finished skins topped with our favorites sour cream, chives and black pepper. So yummy and really your only cost is toppings. Way cheaper than T.G.I.Friday's!!

Silliness!!

2011-10-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

I had to post these silly cutout face pictures from the farm today. Normally a place will have one or two of these types of things but I am not sure I have ever seen so many different ones at a single fair. Carson was mortified that we were all getting our pictures taken in them. Obviously the rest of us thought it was kind of funny!! Living the life I tell you, Living the life!!

The Dress

2011-08-03T18:47:00.001-07:00

I had to laugh last night. I bought a Sun Dress Cover up for Six Flags. I knew it was going to be 100 degrees and I wanted to be comfortable. I really didn't care what I looked like. ( I mean let's face it very few people look good when they are sweating to death at Six Flags.)

Moving on.. When I got home I tried it on for John and the team.

John was very careful in what he said. (It looks comfortable and airy, It has really bright colors. I knew he hated it.. Oh well!)

Next up my pre-teen Makenna. She just gave me that look..you know the one..UGG.. 2 Down, 3 to go.

Jack came in and immediately pulled the dress lower over my knees.. Hysterical.. Always my protective mama's boy. Heaven forbid I show a little to much knee at Six Flags. I am a mother after all.

Carson then came in and his question alone told me that it was not on his approval list. The question: "Are you going to wear that??"

Last came my baby girl Maddie. She saw me in the dress and immediately said.. "Oh mama it is beautiful!! A dress, A dress I love it. I have looked in your closet and you have none. I am so happy you now have a pretty dress to wear." So sweet.

I think what I love about how Maddie approached me wearing the dress is that it wasn't about what I looked like in it. It was about the dress, the color, the newness, and the fact that I finally owned one. That in and of itself was special right?? To a seven year old it was.

Wouldn't it be great if we could view everything like that? Something for me to think about.

The girls and I in our dresses at Six Flags. Possibly the first time that the three of us were in a dress together.

Growing up...

2011-07-17T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we headed out to the movies and when Makenna came downstairs to leave she looked so pretty. She was in cute khaki capri's, a stylish brown sleeveless shirt and had a matching brown purse. She had put on some lip gloss and looked really fixed up and beautiful.

The best part was her brothers reactions.. They said.. "Mom are you going to let her go out like that?" "Mom she looks like a teenager!" "Mom she is growing up!" "Mom she looks like Scarlett Johanson" Makenna ate it up that her brothers although they would not admit it thought she looked really pretty! You did sweet girl. You did!!

Happy Fathers Day

2011-06-19T19:47:00.001-07:00

Our morning was spent bonding over bowling!!

John has been stealing my NIKE flip flops for almost a year. Now he has his own!!

BRATS are one of Johns favorites..Yummy with corn on the cob, and pasta salad. Happy Fathers Day Honey..you are the best!!

Crock pot baked potatoes

2011-06-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite summer meal is a grilled steak, baked potato, asparagus, and roasted red pepper. Heaven! Especially when it is all cooked perfectly. I (courtesy of the internet) have found the most wonderful way to bake your potatoes without turning on the oven this summer. I believe I found it a few months ago on All Recipes which is one of my favorite go to cooking sites.

I used this recipe during the last few months of winter and everyone just loved them! The next time you want to grill a steak, chicken, or smoked sausage think of using these as one of your side dishes. A little butter, shredded cheese, bacon, lite sour cream and voila a wonderful meal!!

I love that the potatoes can cook while I am off at the pool with the kids. Then, I come home throw the meat on the grill, toss a salad and I have a perfectly wonderful meal ready in as long as it takes to grill the meat!! ENJOY!!

For a winter idea pair this with a crock pot of chili, or shredded pork. YUM!!

Place clean potatoes in bag, drizzle with a little olive oil, top with Kosher Salt. Mix around until they are all covered.

MAKE SURE TO POKE YOUR POTATOES 2-3 TIMES WITH A FORK!

Place poked potatoes wrapped in foil in crockpot for 4-6 hours on high. Cooking time will vary based on size of potatoes! DO NOT ADD ANY WATER TO CROCK POT..

The Queen and her royal daughters...

2011-06-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

Queen Kaitlyn with her princess daughters.

Tonight we had a sleepover. The girls all decided to play princess. Makenna as the oldest was nominated the QUEEN and all the girls were her royal daughters. They found costumes and made crowns. I love this picture of all of them. Fun times with good friends.

A new adventure....

2011-06-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

For the next 365 days John, the kids, and I will be blogging about 365 different family fun ideas. The kids have started the list, we are on a very minimal budget, and we are excited about the idea.

As for the "family" part, the adventures are going to be with a mixture of family. Neither I nor John know what an entire year may bring, who will be here, not be here etc. The goal is fun with family for the next 365 days.

As for this blog, It will continue to be what it has been.. a place for me to share recipes, ideas, crafts, stories about the team, and anything I think might be of interest for my kids in the future. My idea when starting this blog was to have a record for my kids of their life.. It is still the goal.

Summertime favorite... Mcdonalds Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

2011-06-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I tried Mcdonalds Frozen Strawberry Lemonade..YUMMY DELICIOUS as my kids would say.. If you haven't tried it yet this summer put it on your list. I don't think you will be disappointed!! Now to have my husband figure out how to make it and make it mostly calorie free. I will keep you posted!!

National Donut Day 2011

2011-06-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

Longest Covered Bridge in Georgia

2011-06-02T20:00:00.001-07:00

Tonight we packed a picnic and drove out to Comer, GA in Madison County. On our list of summer things to explore is covered bridges and State Parks. Comer has both. We went to Watson Mill Bridge State Park which is home to the LONGEST covered bridge in Georgia. It is supposed to be one of the most scenic parks in the state.

We had a dinner picnic, drove through the bridge, explored the camping area, walked down to the shoals and waterfall area, and explored the area where canoes are kept. It is truly beautiful. If I had to be honest I would probably not camp there. The sites were nice but nothing spectacular. The park has paddle boats and canoes to rent, a playground, walking trails, and horse trails. I would like to go back again, but in the fall when I think it will be spectacular for pictures, a picnic, and hiking.

Our first family camping trip

2011-05-29T17:41:00.001-07:00

This week we ventured out on our first family campout. We had two nights of FREE camping at a State Park courtesy of the family pass we bought last June. It was go NOW or lose free camping. We decided not to lose it. Luckily I was able to get us a spot down the road in Winder at Fort Yargo State Park. We had been to the beach there before but not to any of the campsites.

I would highly reccomend this campground. The spots were large,and the restrooms/shower houses clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful. There are a ton of local restaurants and some shopping in the town. The park itself has a dedicated fishing/picnic spot. There are boats to rent at reasonable rates (paddle, jon, bike boats, and canoes.)There is also a putt putt coarse available as well as a playground or two. There is a great beach with a designated swim area.

I wish I had realized what the walk in spots meant. They are spots for tents. You can not pull into the site you just park your car and walk to your spot. They are all right on the lake and so pretty. They do not have electricity, the closest bathroom is a port o potty. There is also just one or two water pumps to share. This may all sound awful but when you are tent camping who cares if you have electricity or not?? I would easily have traded the electricity from the site we were on for the view. The price difference is very little around $3 a night.

We had a great time visiting this campground and will definitely go again. I would highly reccomend the Upgraded State Park Pass that comes with two nights of camping. I believe last year I paid $70 for it. The camping for two nights was a value of $56, and the parking was a value of $60 for two cars. This camping trip alone covered the cost of the pass. We only paid $19 for 3 nights of camping. Talk about a bargain!

Have you camped at Georgia's State Parks? Which one is your favorite? Would love to hear about your camping adventures.

SUMMER CHECKLIST OF FUN!!

2011-05-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

Every summer the kids and I make a "mailbag" or a summer checklist of fun things to go and do. In the past I have always used index cards and the kids would write an idea on each one, decorate it and we would pick from the mailbag 2 or 3 ideas each week. Earlier this spring a friend sent me an idea for a summer checklist.. I LOVED it and thought we would try it out.

I love this idea verses my old idea of the mailbag for several reasons.

1.) It is in my FACE and reminding me that it is SUMMER and that means do extra special things with the GREENETEAM! Because we home school year round I think this is EXTRA IMPORTANT.. It is summer after all!!

2.) At the end of the summer we will be able to see ALL that we have accomplished. :) Does this mean everything will get checked off?? NO.. however we have ideas and will TRY OUR BEST!!

We had almost 9 pages of IDEAS for the summer... Woo Hoo. As we complete each one we will put a sticker on the check spot. Should be fun to see what we accomplish this summer. It is sure looking like a great time indeed. If you have a fun summer idea please feel free to share or post it.

Memories

2011-05-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today I went with a friend to Martins Landing in Roswell. We used to live in the development and would walk the lake daily. I loved that it would wear the kids out. It is such a pretty lake community. While walking we came upon the apartments that we used to live in. We talked about how one Christmas (05) this was where their Christmas photo was taken. When I got home and saw the photos I just had to look up the old one. The kids are not in the exact same spot but boy can you see how much they have changed. Seems like just yesterday that they were that small. Time sure does fly by.

Speaking of Time flying by it has been almost a month since I last blogged. What can I say?? May was amazingly busy. I plan to do a few catch up posts and then move on with current summer fun activities. I hope you are enjoying the Spring where ever you are and are getting ready for an amazing summer!!

Easter Sunrise Service

2011-04-24T08:07:00.001-07:00

This morning I wanted the kids to experience an Easter Sunrise Service. I told them about the plan last night so that everyone could prepare. The last thing I wanted was crying kids on Easter morning. We woke up late and had about 15 minutes to all get ready and out the door. Talk about running a quick marathon. Let's just say I was glad that it was going to be an outdoor service mostly in the dark. What we were wearing and what we looked like weren't the priority. Getting there on time was!

The service itself was really nice. I would say there were close to 1000 people in attendance. It was really amazing to see so many people gathering to celebrate Easter. During the service they preached about New beginnings. As I walked away with the kids I was so incredibly thankful and felt so blessed for the new beginnings we have each and every day because of God's mercy.

I hope that when my kids remember Easter this year, they will not think of the chocolate bunnies, toys, and goodies that they got in their baskets. I pray that what they will remember is a beautiful sunrise celebrating the sacrifice that was made for them.

11th Anniversary Serenade!!

2011-04-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

John and I celebrated 11 years of marriage today. He started my day off with a dozen white roses, and breakfast in bed. I spent the day out with the girls getting our hair done and going to the library. When we got home John had prepped everything for a wonderful steak dinner. Love you honey thanks!! (Have I ever mentioned how blessed I am to have a man that cooks?? A perk I didn't know until after I married him.)

At the end of the meal the boys had a surprise for us. Jack was pretty hesitant but then he got up with his brother. The video posted is a remake of what they sang for me. Talk about a memory!! I didn't even know the two of them knew this song, much less practice it at night in their room. So much for knowing what is going on behind closed doors. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It made my day.. I hope to see the two of them sing this for me again on my 15th, 20th, 25th and beyond. Thanks boys.

2011-04-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

Miss Maddie is officially seven!! Maddie has always been a numbers girl. Last night when she headed to bed she said eight hours and 45 minutes until my Birthday. Her plan was to get up in time to see it on the clock. She started by crawling in my bed at 4am asking what time it was?? She then preceded every little while to ask is it seven forty seven yet?? At one point she woke up crying thinking she had missed it. Finally she woke up at 7:30 and sat on the ground by the alarm clock waiting for the magical moment to arrive. When it did the smile on her little face was priceless. She is ready to soak up every minute of her special day "after all mom it only comes around once a year". Happy Birthday sweet girl!!

To be or not to be???

2011-04-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight John took the kids to the auditions for Arabian Nights. Three out of the four kids tried out. If we have to be there for one why not three or four?? Right?

Maddie worked so hard on her look before she left. A dress, earrings, bracelets. When she got to the auditions they asked her to try out for a BOY role.. MELTDOWN.. So sad, too bad. She was beside herself. If only they had given her a little princess to read for, or a cute bird?? Not the case it was a boy. John said he would not give her a chance if he were the director. Not to be is our guess.

Next was Carson. John said he sort of had an aloof attitude. Did he want to be there or not?? He read for several Prince roles?? Makenna said he needed help on words, and she had to help him as to when it was his turn to go?? John thinks 50/50?? Carson was psyched when he got home and thinks he has a 90% chance. Oh my!! Wonder what will happen?? If he does get it will he do ok??

Last was Makenna. Her fear is that she will get the role of the rock!! It has one line. I told her not to worry. If that is the ONLY role between the 3 of them we will not be participating. Way to big of a commitment for 2 solid months. She is hopeful for one of the "sister" roles. John thinks she will definitely get something. What will it be?? Who knows?? Now we play the waiting game.

A visit from the Easter bunny??

2011-04-09T19:57:00.001-07:00

Easter must be getting close! Today when we went out to do some yard work we saw this sweet guy hopping by. Jackson saw him scoot under our front bush. We were lucky enough to get a picture of him before he hopped away. So darn sweet and cute.

The kids loved him and were convinced they could keep him. Thank goodness for the internet. I pulled up information on Wild baby bunnies. We read all about them and then immediately headed outside to take back the carrot we had given him. No carrots, no cabbage, no milk. Then we read why we could't keep him, and how important it was to just leave him alone. The kids were sad especially Maddie who cried and cried but they understood it was best to leave him in his habitat. They had fun watching him all day hide near the house. They named him Carrot.

I was happy that Carrot decided to hop away while we were not looking. Somehow it is easier on everyone just knowing that he has gone off. The kids are sure he has hopped off to find his family and probably get ready for Easter.

Little things like flowers...

2011-04-08T16:21:00.001-07:00

Maddie surprised me today with a flower planted in a small pot. I love little things like this. They make me happy. Just the fact that she saw a beautiful flower outside, took the time to find a little cup, dig up some dirt, and put the flower in it is just SWEET. She came back to ask me "if I really liked it?" How could I not right?? After I said "of course I do" she started laughing and preceded to pull the flower out of the dirt (last photo). She said "I'm not sure if you know this or not but it doesn't even have a stem". Then she giggled and giggled and giggled. A few watering tips came next and then she was off. Love my sweet girl and love little things like flowers!!

Semi-Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

2011-04-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Greeneteam assembling the cookie sandwiches.
Our ingredients
The finished product!

A couple of months ago we had a gift card for Coldstone Ice Cream so decided to take the kids. When we arrived the line was ridiculously long. We decided just to grab Coldstones ice cream sandwiches. The kids loved them and so did we. The only problem. $19 for 8 of them. OUCH!! We would never have gotten them without the giftcard and even with it somehow it felt wrong. I hate feeling like I have completely overpaid for something.

Last week when I went Krogering, I decided to look for ingredients to make our own. Krogers Party Pail Ice Cream was on sale for $3.88. I grabbed a pail of the chocolate chip and then went in search of some cheap chocolate chip cookies. I found a bag of hard cookies (32 for $1.25) which is what I wanted. I was afraid that a soft cookie would just get too mushy and not hold up to create the cookie sandwich. Now to see if the creation worked and would taste good.

Sunday night we put the cookies out for the kids to help make/assemble the cookie sandwiches. They loved helping. Assembly was easy. Take a nice size scoop and place it on the bottom cookie, then top with the other one and voila a semi homemade ice cream cookie sandwich. We added some jimmies to the side which is what the ones at Coldstone had on them. Some other ideas to sprinkle the sides with..Mini m&m's, crushed oreos, and mini chocolate chips.

After making the sandwiches we wrapped them individually with saran wrap, put them in a freezer bag and froze them. The first taste test was done two hours after making them. The cookie was really crunchy and the ice cream still did not seem totally frozen. That being said everyone loved them. Next taste test 24 hours later at dinner. Everyone thought that they were now almost perfect. The ice cream seemed to have frozen good, and because of the freezing the cookie had gotten somewhat softer. Our final test 48 hours after we froze them. The semi-homemade ice cream cookie sandwich gets rave reviews. The cookie has been frozen long enough that it is just perfect.

My kids are looking forward to making these again. They are especially looking forward to experimenting with different flavors of cookies and ice cream. I love that it is a dessert the kids can help with, is something that can be made ahead and then is ready when you need it, can be made using your favorite ingredients and customized to fit your diet or lack there of. I also love the cost. Sixteen cookie sandwich treats for around $2!! Now that is a bargain!! Don't forget to save the Party Pail Container. It makes the perfect container for chili, soups etc.

PREPARING FOR THE STORM

2011-04-05T08:23:00.001-07:00

Last night we had a BIG STORM here in Georgia. The kids decided to crash downstairs while waiting it out. It was fun to watch them get ready for it. The boys simply chose a blanket and the dogs. Highly prepared would accurately describe the two girls. Interesting the differences.

My worrier Makenna prepped and ready for the big storm. She was lying down with an umbrella for extra shelter. She had the necessities, blanket, pillow, honey bunny, bottle of water and a book.
Carson the Dog Whisperer.Both dogs were so upset at the beginning of the storm. He sat petting them and telling them everything would be ok.
Jack snuggled under the blankets. Tired and really just wanting to go to bed.
Maddie gathered the important stuff.. Math cards, Quiddler and Yahtzee.
Maddie with every "friend" she could possibly bring downstairs.

Bocce Ball

2011-04-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

Maddie ready to conquer the world at Bocce Ball.

Goal is to aim the larger balls at the small white ball.

Jack striking a pose!

One of our favorite outdoor games to play is Bocce Ball. We started playing as a family 3 years ago. It is a game that all the kids (ages 3.5/4.0 and up) can play. It is a very simple lawn game of trying to get as close as possible to the Pallino Ball or goal ball. Average set will cost you $20 and will provide hours and hours of fun outdoors!! Great for Spring, Summer or fall and is great for almost any age.

We love having tournaments at our house. Sunday we kicked off our first Spring game and I am proud to report that GIRLS RULE!!

The Perfect Sunday

2011-04-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today was a perfect Spring Day here in Georgia. I love being by the water so decided to head to Van Pugh Park to spend the day with the family. Van Pugh gets my number one vote for a beach/Park at Lake Lanier. We have lived here 12 years and by far this is the best beach we have found. It is run by The Core of Engineers. The day entry fee is $4 and a season long pass is $30.

We ate before we left. I wanted everyone to just be able to enjoy playing at the park for 3 or 4 hours without having to worry about lunch, snacks, clean up etc. We packed scooters, helmets, soccer and footballs, jump rope, bubbles, and some kites. Twenty minutes later we were at the park.

There is a large field away from the water,near the bathrooms, perfect for tossing the football and kicking around the soccer ball. There are a few benches which we used although the next time I may throw in a few lawn chairs so we can sit under the trees and out of the sun. The kids loved it. Everyone could do what they wanted which was great.

When everyone had their share of playing we packed it all away, got out the kites and headed for the beach/water portion of the park. The wind was perfect for flying kites and the scenery was beautiful. It was the perfect Sunday at the park.

Math Madness

2011-03-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

My husband John wants me to take a break from curriculum and just focus on math for a month with the kids. Today we kicked off what I am calling MATH MADNESS. Quite certain I will be mad by the end of the month dealing with all of them but we are going to give it a shot. I explained to the kids what we were going to be doing. Then I told them they had 10 minutes and we would get started. When I came out of the office they were in the parlor dressed in costumes.

They were so excited to INTRODUCE themselves.

Jack.. aka THE SUBTRACTION SAMURAI
Maddie... aka MADEMOISELLE MULTIPLICATION
Makenna.. aka THE ADDITION MAGICIAN
Carson...aka MR. SOLO DIVISION

Love, love, love their excitement and creativity. Now if they will just get this excited about learning all their facts!!

Literature Fair

2011-03-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

You have probably heard of a Science Fair before, but a Literature Fair?? What is that?? To sum it up you choose a novel, book, or famous author and do a "project" on it just like you would for a Science Fair. Each child/family creates a 3 tiered board, or some type of visual. They do a small presentation, and then children are given a handout with questions on it to answer. After the presentations are done the kids have time to fill out the questions and complete their paper.

Our family project was on the novel Where the Red Fern Grows. Each child chose something to research from the book. Carson chose the Redbone Coonhound. Jackson chose to research the raccoon. Makenna researched the Ozark Mountains, and did a summary of the story. Maddie colored a picture of a Redbone Coonhound and worked on a compare and contrast of the two dogs Little Ann, and Old Dan. We also did a Greeneteam book review.

I loved that after the presentations there was a handout with questions to answer. It made for a really educational afternoon and made the kids really look at the projects rather than walk by and say "Oh that is nice".

Some of the questions:

Where did Roald Dahl write his books?
What is a diorama?
What disease did Old Yeller get from the Wolf?
What is the name of Mr. Poppers first penguin?
Who taught Dr. Doolittle the animals languages?
What is another nickname for a raccoon?
What was Ralphs motorcycle helmet made of?
Which of Elizabeth Enrights books won the Newberry Award?
What was the first Gothic Novel by Mary Shelly?
What U.S. State is the same size as England?

The fair was interactive, fun, gave the kids a chance to exhibit their work, and gave both the children and parents an insight as to other literature. I loved this idea for an educational fair!!

A 6 year olds "reasoning" ????

2011-03-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Maddie with her first Build A Bear

Maddie went to a Build A Bear Birthday Party this weekend. She absolutely loves her bear!! She has a Birthday coming up so was explaining to me why if she heads to Build A Bear with some of her money she will not need to spend $5 on the plastic heart they stuff in the bear. Here Goes:

Reasons the Bear does not need a $5 plastic heart:

A. It is a STUFFED BEAR!! (Telling me, as she whispers in her bears ear, an apology)

B. There is an invisible FREE heart that you don't see.

C. When she gives the bear a hug, she transfers real love to the invisible heart, therefore giving the bear REAL love.

D. Fashion is more important than that fake plastic heart. Don't you think mom? The money would be better spent on a new outfit or some bows. That just makes more sense. Right??

EASY AND DELICIOUS CHICKEN CHILI

2011-03-26T16:45:00.001-07:00

During the snow storm Georgia had back in January "SNOWMAGEDDON" I had people post on Facebook what they were having for dinner. My friend Shannon said they were having a SALSA CHICKEN. I emailed and asked her for details. She said it was an easy recipe from Emeril Lagasse years ago that she makes in a crockpot.

The recipe is as follows

Jar of your favorite salsa
Package of boneless chicken breast diced into bigger pieces
Can of corn (do not drain)
nice scoop of garlic

Cook on low in the crockpot for 4-6 hours.

I have tweaked this by adding a can of black beans (do not drain), and a can of water. At the end when it is all done I scoop out the large pieces of chicken and with two forks quickly shred. I then stir it all back in and voila my version of chicken chili.. Top it with shredded cheese, sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. We then use chips to scoop it up like a dip. All 6 of us LOVE IT.. Super easy, super affordable and super yummy!! Perfect for a cold rainy day.

Other things you can add: Fresh Cilantro, red onion, hot sauce to taste. We have had the most success with Walmarts brand of lime Salsa!! Enjoy!

I did it myself

2011-03-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

Maddie with the presents that she wrapped for her friend Olivia's party.

Tonight I came downstairs to find that Maddie had wrapped presents for her friends Birthday Party on Saturday. Snowflake paper and blue painters tape were just two of the highlights. All I could do was laugh and smile.

I called her over to ask about the wrapping job and she said "Do you like it? I did it all by myself" How sweet. She then went on to explain that she originally was going for a bag, and none were big enough. Then she looked at the wrapping paper and most of it was Christmas. The snowflake paper, well it matched the blue tape that she had found so obviously it was the perfect choice.

At the end she looked at me a little worried. I think she was afraid I was going to re-wrap the gifts. Instead I asked her if she would like to tie the two together with ribbon and make a card for her friend. "That will make it perfect mom! Livie will love it". Yes Maddie, I think she will, and most likely her mom will have the same smile on her face that I had when I saw the packages.

Fish Craft

2011-03-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

FUN FISH FROM OUR 2nd CRAFT CLASS

At our second craft class we made these fun fish. I loved that all the kids chose their favorite color and then preceded to decorate them however they wished. Out of 11 projects there were no two that were alike other than the shape.

To make the craft I free handed the basic form of the fish. I then traced it on various colored construction paper. The kids then cut them out, tweaking the lines a little if they wanted them bigger or smaller. They then added google eyes, streamers for the tail (we cut the streamers in half as otherwise I thought they looked to big). They used construction paper to make triangle shapes for fins, circles on the fish etc. They also used shiny paper and sequins to decorate. It was a simple fun craft that all ages had fun with.

What I love about this kind of project is that it can be a supplemental activity to go along with a great field trip. I love taking my kids to a pond, a pet store, or even the aquarium and then following it up with this type of craft at home. You can also serve a fun snack or dinner. Fish Sticks, goldfish crackers, and gummi fish are just a few ideas. If you have a little one at home try reading stories about fish, talk about the letter F, and then even practice writing the letter F or the word FISH. It makes for a fun and educational day.

The Big Talk

2011-03-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

No pictures to go with this one. Tonight Makenna and I watched the 96 version of Jane Eyre. She has read the book and really wanted to go see the NEW 2011 version with my mom and I. At the time, I wasn't sure it was kid friendly so I didn't let her go. After watching the movie I quizzed her again about the book, figured she could handle it and thought I would order the two of us an older version off of Netflix. I thought it could be one of our first mother/daughter type older movies. Something to remember. Little did I know!!

Part way through we paused the movie. I thought I would check in, make sure she didn't have any questions etc etc. We ended up in a huge discussion because of the little "ward girl" he is taking care of. One thing led to another and the next thing I know we are having "THE TALK".

Come to find out she had been reading my PARENTING MAGAZINES for the last 6 months and all the information was in there?? What?? Seriously?? I have never screened my parenting magazines for that kind of information. Where is the SAFETY WARNING??

In the end I think the "talk" went pretty well. She basically said that at her age,11, she thought it was kind of creepy, a little scary and she really didn't want any more detailed information than what she had already read.

I told her we could talk more when she was ready, I let her know that there were lots of people she could talk to about it.. Daddy, Grandma's, Aunts. She laughed at the whole daddy thing and said "PLEASE!! He about had a heart attack when he saw me reading the American Girls Guide to Dating. How would he react to this??"

I had to laugh at her reaction to talking to daddy. I am not sure, but maybe I would have felt the same way talking to my dad at age 11. On second thought I am sure I would have. Times haven't changed that much!!

Spring is here!!

2011-03-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Greeneteam ready for their first water fight of the season.

Love this shot of the kids in action!! Looks like a scene from a movie.

An inexpensive and fun treat.

I believe Spring has officially arrived in Georgia!! Today we are at a gorgeous 78 degrees! Smiling kids in swimsuits, water gun fights, and ice cream cones with sprinkles!! The Greeneteam is living the life today! Happy Spring!!

Massachusetts .. Boston Cream Pie

2011-03-05T14:39:00.001-08:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog you might be wondering if we quit Cooking Our Way Through the USA. The answer in short is no but we have taken a pretty long break from cooking with the kids and studying the individual states. Obviously we need to get back on track.

Today we made Boston Cream Pie for the Great State of Massachusetts. I can tell we have been out of the kitchen for awhile with the kids because there was lots of arguing and me,me,me stuff going on.. ARRGG! Not exactly a fun day in the kitchen. Luckily we survived with only one minor burn and lots of yelling! A day in the life I tell you. Oh well, not every day can be a perfect day. In fact, at our house most of them are not.

Boston Cream Pie

1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, salt,and baking powder in a bowl. 2.cream the butter. Add the vanilla and gradually beat in the sugar. Beat until fluffy. Beat in the two eggs and stir in 1/2 cup flour mixture. 3. Stir in 1/4 cup milk and then add 1/2 cup flour mixture and another 1/4 cup milk. Mix. Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat just enough to blend well. 4. Spoon the batter into 2 greased and floured 7-8 inch round cake pans. 5. Bake the layers 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.

CREAM FILLING

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 T flour or 1 T Cornstarch
1 egg
few grains salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

1.Put the sugar, flour, and salt in a small heavy saucepan. Stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). 2. Add the 1 egg and mix. Cook and stir for 3 more minutes. Stir in vanilla. Chill.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 T butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk

1. Place chocolate, butter, and milk in the top of a double boiler. Cook on medium low heat until the chocolate melts. Stir well. 2. Take off the heat and let stand until lukewarm. Stir in Sugar and vanilla. Beat until thick enough to spread.

Put together the cream pie.

Put the layers together with the cream filling. Spread with chocolate frosting.

OUR REVIEW:

We all loved it although the consistency of the cake was slightly biscuit like. Was it supposed to be this way?? Who knows? It was a lot of work for one small cake. Not sure I would try it again with four kids.

Home Depot Kid Workshops

2011-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

I have wanted John to take the boys to a Home Depot Kids Workshop forever!! Today was finally the day. I had seen that they were going to be building the Home Depot Car and thought this would be the perfect one to try and it was!!

They came home with rave reviews.

John thought the project was great and taught several lessons. Carson loved the entire experience. Probably his favorite thing was the apron and the collectors pin that he received. He also talked about the safety glasses, the hammer, gluing things, and putting on the stickers. Jack thought the car he made was really cool and he has already given it a prime spot in his room. Both boys can't wait to go back next month!

I love that the workshop is FREE. I also love that it teaches them some do it yourself type skills and teaches about tool safety. Most of all I love that it is some guy bonding time.

Each month Home Depot features a different project for kids to build. The first time you are given an apron and each time you are given a collectors pin featuring the project you made. You are also given a certificate. Home Depots workshops are the first Saturday of every month.

Paper Bag USA.. day 1 craft class

2011-03-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine is sending her kids to my house for crafts each week. She knows I love crafts, making projects with kids etc etc. I told her I would love to do it as long as she knew it was NOT an ART class. Something about the word ART scares me to death. I am NOT an art teacher nor do I know about all the different artists, history of art etc etc.

Crafts in my opinion are way different. I love to show the kids an idea that most of the time I get from somewhere else. (Family Fun, craft magazine, art book etc.) I then let them use their imagination to create a project all their own based on what they saw of the example. I don't mind the mess, enjoy seeing what they come up with and I love watching them have fun.

Project 1.... Paper Bag USA

This craft came from an old Family Fun craft book.

Materials needed

Lunch size paper bags.. brown and white.
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Stickers
Glitter glue
Crayons or markers

For each building you will need two paper bags. Decorate the first paper bag as your building. The possibilities are endless on the things you can do. Draw bricks, windows, flowers, make awnings, roofs, etc, Add in a flag, chimney using cotton balls as smoke etc. I think using a combination of materials makes the buildings more fun and gives them an extra special look. You will then stuff your other paper bag with newspaper. Place the first paper bag over top of the stuffed one. This is your basic building. It can be shortened by cutting both bags down. Made wider by laying it on its side.

Once all of the buildings are constructed set them up on a table to resemble a town. You can add in cars, people, etc.

Store ideas:
Hotel
Game store
Candy shop
Doughnut shop
Hospital
Police
Fire
Post Office
Library
Book Store
Pet Store
Gas Station
Music Store

This is a fun craft for ages 4-5 and up.

20 Fun Ideas For Valentines

2011-02-10T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our kitchen table decorated for Valentines Morning!!

FUN IDEAS!!

1. Bake a heart shaped cake and decorate it together.

2. Make some fun crafts... mobiles, magnets, cards, bookmarks, window hangings.

3. Make Valentine Cookies together.

4. Play "CUPID SAYS" instead of Simon Says.

5. At dinner one evening have everyone go around and say one thing they like or love about each person at the table.

6. Take your child out on a Valentines date..doesn't need to be expensive. Use your imagination.

7. Pick one room in the house to decorate for Valentines Day.. we usually pick the kitchen.

8. Send your child a love note in his/her lunch letting them know that you love them.

9. Buy your child his/her favorite candy and surprise him/her with it.

10. Make a paper chain using pink/white/red listing everyone you love, or things you love.

11. Buy the heart shaped Little Debbies and eat them one night for dessert.

12. Sit and make a card together one evening and mail it to someone you both love or give it to someone who needs encouragement.

13. Have a special Family "DATE NIGHT" do something you would never normally do.

14. Invite friends over to make Valentine crafts.

15. Surprise your child at school this week with a special lunch/little gift. If they are home schooled leave a note on their pillow or on the bathroom mirror for when they wake up.

16. Have a Valentines Morning party.. Make a special breakfast, decorate the table, have a small gift for each person.. even Dollar tree items make a kid feel special and loved.

17. Bake together and deliver it to your neighbors or a friend that you would like to cheer up.

18. Play Secret Valentine.. do nice things for each other throughout the week/weekend and at the end of the week/weekend reveal who your Secret Valentine is.

19. Spend the morning/afternoon together having fun before you go out with your husband. Stay in your p.j.'s watch movies, eat fun food, play games. Just enjoy your little Valentine.

20. If you don't have a sitter invite friends to come over and throw a Valentines night party. Order some pizza for the kids, decorate cupcakes and just let the kids play.

Early Valentines

2011-02-08T19:21:00.000-08:00

I LOVE YOU MOM

YOU ARE THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD

HAPPY VALENTINES

Tonight when I got up from a nap I found this email from my sweet Makenna. She had also done almost all of the laundry and was working with her little sister on handwriting. I love my girl. She is sweet, helpful, smart and tries so very hard to please and do things that she knows will help me. Her early Valentines was just what I needed tonight.

I needed to be reminded that it is the month of LOVE. I needed to be reminded that even though life right now is extremely tough and we are under a lot of pressure as a family that the one thing we always have here at the Greene house is plenty of LOVE. Thank you sweet girl for reminding me!!

Perler Beads

2011-02-03T20:18:00.001-08:00

Perler Bead Kits.. $12 or so at Michaels with a coupon around $8
Some of the FUN creations the Greeneteam has made in the past few weeks.

I am sure these have been around forever. However, they are new to us so I thought I would blog about them. When we went to Texas in November my niece and nephew had a carton of these. All of the kids ages 4-12 had a great time creating designs. If I was to tell the truth I sat down and made several myself. FUN!!

The kits run around $12 at Michaels. I have gotten them on sale using a 40% off coupon for around $8. Such a good deal. Each kit comes with 8500 beads, 3 or 4 shapes, a sheet of designs, and some wax paper. I think each kit can make over 30 crafts.

To make the craft you simply put the beads on the small points on the form. Once it is all filled in an adult takes a piece of wax paper and an iron and goes over the design melting it or fusing it together. The hardest part is making sure you don't knock over the design. If you do your beads scatter everywhere and you sadly begin again.

I thought it would be cute to have them as magnets so I hot glued a magnet on the back. I love that my refrigerator is now an art board. All of my kids..boys and girls are having a GREAT time making them. For the money I think it is an excellent craft with tons of potential for artistic expression!!

11th Birthday Date

2011-02-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

Daddy served her breakfast in bed and then she opened cards and presents from relatives. Thanks Uncle Gary, Grandma, Grammy, Dee Dee, and Aunt Lisa!!
Shopping at Michaels with her Birthday gift card thanks Lauren and Emily!!
Always a favorite Barnes and Noble.. thanks Rachel and Savannah!!
Oooh La La.. a new pair of fashion glasses from Claires.
Coming out of Krispy Kreme.. she decided the kids at home deserved a treat so bought them for the Greeneteam!!
Lunch at her favorite spot courtesy of Aunt Dee Dee!!

My girl Makenna lives for her Birthday. The party, the friends, the cake, the gifts, the shopping. She just loves it. This year since her Birthday fell two days after her party I decided to take her out and let her spend the gift cards and money that she received. We had the best time. I loved watching her shop, seeing the items she picked out and overall just spending one on one time with her. I need to do this with my kids more often. When I do I am reminded that they are each special and unique and I am so thankful that God has given them to me. Happy 11th Birthday sweet Lu Lu Bird.. Mama loves you!!

A SWEET party!!

2011-02-03T19:20:00.001-08:00

My sister always says the party starts at the front door... I hung a sign to welcome the guests!
Front entry table was filled with candy..Pixie sticks, m&m's, gumballs, rock candy and more!!
In the dining room was the chocolate fountain..It acted as one of our crafts for the night.
The Birthday girl with her plate of goodies.. Pretzels, smores pops, strawberries, and spoons.

Makenna celebrated her 11th Birthday this past weekend with 10 of her friends. We decided on the theme of chocolate and sweets after we found some cute cupcake boxes and cutouts at the dollar tree. It helped then that a few weeks ago my sister sent a box filled with sweets and treats. We used most of what she sent for the party.. donuts, rock candy, m&m's and chocolate.

I borrowed a chocolate fountain from my friend Heather. She even told me where to get the chocolate at 40% off making the fountain less than $10 to run. I bought pretzels rods $1, marshmallows $1, Plastic Spoons $1, and strawberries for the girls to dunk. The only other expense associated with the chocolate craft were some bags to wrap the treats in. Again I used 40% off coupons really cutting the cost. In the end the girls went home with a goody bag filled with all the creations that they had made. Fun for everyone and really an inexpensive party.

One of the favorites of the night was a Smores Pop. My sister Lisa saw this cute idea at church this summer. They were kicking off a VBS Camping theme and had these as one of the treats. Simple and easy especially when needing to make Smores for a crowd.

SMORES POPS...
Large marshmallows
Melting Chocolates
Crushed graham crackers
Lollipop sticks

Place a lollipop stick in the center of a large marshmallow. Dunk the Marshmallow in melted chocolate. Once covered roll it in crushed graham crackers.. Voila!! A simple easy smore.

Escaping Snowmageddon day 4

2011-01-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

SNOWMAGEDDON!!!

2011-01-12T15:44:00.001-08:00

Kenna and Carson smiling after a crash landing!! Thankfully no one was injured!!
My beautiful snow bunnies .. Ms. Maddie and my girl Makenna

The Greeneteam attempting to hit the hills with cardboard and our pool float.

Jack with the snowboard..Looks like he is ready for the slopes in Aspen!!

That was totally wicked!! Boys having a blast with our neighbor.
Fun with the kids in the neighborhood!!

Carson coming down the drive!!
My boy bear.. a natural for the slopes!!

Midnight Snowball Fight

2011-01-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

Carson aims a snowball at his dad during our Midnight Snowball fight.

Maddie Having a great time in the snow!

John enjoying his hot chocolate.

Tonight we were playing Quiddler waiting for the snow to come. Snow that had been promised all weekend. We had looked several times outside and there was nothing. Then,the next time we looked it was really snowing hard. The kids watched and were so excited to see it coming down fast. They kept talking about how they could not wait to go outside and play in it tomorrow. As I sat there watching them get so excited I thought why wait until tomorrow morning?? I got up and whispered my idea in my husbands ear. He said "seriously?"

We finished the card game and just before the kids were heading up to bed I said "you guys can head to bed OR you can get your coats and hats on and get ready for a midnight snowball fight." Shrieking and joy filled the air. They took off as fast as possible to find coats, hats, mittens, shoes boots etc. By about midnight we were ready for our first Family Midnight Snowball Fight.

We had such a great time playing outside. It seemed so quiet and so magical. The kids tried making snowballs, rolled down the hills, made snow angels and ran after one another. Fun!! I came in a little early and made hot chocolate and baked some freezer cookies. When everyone came inside we all sat around the table and talked about how great it was to play in the snow at midnight. When the kids headed off to bed they thanked me and said they were the luckiest kids in Georgia!! Making memories with my family is one of my favorite things to do. Tonight was one of those nights.

Mini Man Snack Bar!!

2011-01-07T17:23:00.000-08:00

Do your kids ever complain that things aren't fair?? Mine do it all the time and this week was no exception. Last night my girls were talking about how fun the AHG lock in was going to be. Games, Crafts, Pizza, a midnight Sundae bar, and tons of snacks and popcorn. Across the table sat my boys getting more and more upset every time the girls would mention another fun thing. "What are we going to do?" they said. I joked with them that we would be cleaning the garage and scrubbing toilets. They seriously almost started to cry.

I was kidding of course about the toilets...seriously toilets on a Friday night?? I had fun planned for them all along. They got a trip to the QT for dinner. Now I know that may not seem like a treat to you or I , but to twin 9 year old boys going to the QT for a hot dog or taquito and getting to pick out a slushy is like winning the jackpot.

When they got home, I had a Mini Man Snack Bar set up with 2 Powerade's!! (see photo) You can call it what you want.. I chose mini man snack bar because my boys are always saying that they are little men.

My idea was to take a large tray and line it with coffee filters. My bowls so to speak. I did not have to dirty up a ton of dishes and the filters are small enough that I could put out a variety of sweets and treats just like the girls were going to be getting at their lock in. I told my boys that when the treats were gone their snacking was done for the night. They loved it !!

What I love about it..

*No Dishes
* I can recycle the filters by just shaking them out.
*Limits the amount of snacks the boys can eat.
*Keeps little man hands out of my full bags of snacks. I prefer using smaller containers for kids and then refilling if necessary. You just never know where their hands have been.

It is now 9:00 the boys are content with snacks, drinks, movies, and the Wii. The girls I am sure are having a blast. What does that mean for this mama of four? It means that, for tonight in our little world, life seems fair.

New Years Paper Chain

2011-01-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

The Greeneteam ringing in 2011
2010 paper chain.. The we did it pile 37 this year, and the Keep dreaming pile 82
2011 New Paper chain.. ready to be stored until the first day of 2012

About five or six years ago we started making a New Years Day Paper Chain. On each link we post a goal, want, or dream for the new year. I always tell the kids "The sky is the limit, it is a New Year and anything is possible." This sometimes means that we get some pretty silly things on the chain.. Water Skiing with Dora the Explorer in Mexico was one I remember from Maddie several years back. So funny and was not obviously going to happen, but it went on the chain.

I have the paper pre cut and we go around the table as a family taking turns saying our hopes, dreams, and goals for the new year. A bucket list if you will. Once we run out of ideas or patience with the kids we sit the strips aside. Next we get out the old paper chain which I store in a garbage bag in the garage inside a bin marked New Years. This is where the fun part comes in. We take turns ripping off the chain links and reading the link out loud. We make a WE DID IT PILE, and a KEEP DREAMING PILE.

This Year for 2010 we completed 37 of the 119 paper chains. When you see the list it is pretty impressive and makes you feel like maybe you accomplished some dreams/goals after all.

Some of the ones completed this year: Summer family photo shoot, New family car, Seeing the Ocean for the first time, Horseback riding, Going to Sea World, Getting a Wii, Camping, Going to New Orleans, Floating down the Chattahoochee, Attending our first NFL game, Going away to camp, Visiting cousins in TX, Volunteering as a family, and watching the Sunset at a park.

Some of the ones that didn't make it sadly.. Losing weight, Kings Island, Getting a housekeeper, Buying a boat, Getting a new couch, A Tropical Vacation, French Doors, A massage Table, Riding the Goliath at Six Flags, Getting out of Debt, and Getting Hardwood floors.

In the end every time we do our New Years link we realize that we did indeed accomplish a lot. We put dreams and ideas on paper and they came true. It makes us feel like anything is possible in the coming year. Here's looking forward to seeing what 2011 has in store for us!!

New Years Eve Tree..

2010-12-30T22:55:00.001-08:00

Happy New Years Eve!! This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love starting fresh, making goals and just feeling like the slate has been wiped clean. Of course it is also a huge Holiday and with that comes the traditional things that I do with the kids.

When my kids were really little my husband worked nights. I was always at home with the kids for the New Year. I decided early on that I might as well make it a party with the team because it was going to be the 5 of us for the long haul.

Our annual New Years Eve Tree is something that I came up with at least 4 or 5 years ago.

New Years Eve Tree.. 2011
New this year..mini presents to open at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 pm..
The Greeneteam!! Looking forward to 2011!!

Basic idea:

Strip the tree of everything but it's lights.. Fill in all the big spaces with balloons. You need to be careful size wise because they will pop.. Next I fill in with clackers, noisemakers, tiaras, top hats, blowers, tinsel.. you name it. If it looks festive I am sure it will work.

2010 new twist..

We are alone this year for the first time in 3 years so I decided to add Presents to the mix. They are just small candy presents, but I know the team and they will be looking forward to the 9:00 hour to open the first one. I labeled 4 boxes each with a 9:00/10:00/11:00 small clock. Then I sat the presents in the tree. When 9:00 hits we will open the first one and then continue at the top of the next hour.

At about 5 minutes till midnight I let everyone strip the tree for hats, clackers, noisemakers etc to ring in the New Year. It is always funny to see how fast the tree gets emptied. Once midnight hits everyone cheers, clacks and makes as much noise as possible. They also get to pop all the balloons. Such fun!!

I love that this idea is a fun, inexpensive, and memorable way to spend New Years Eve with your family. Total tree cost is maybe $10 to $12 if shopping at the Dollar Tree..:) It looks fun and the kids love it.

Our First Gingerbread House

2010-12-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

Today the Greeneteam and I attempted to decorate our first Gingerbread House! We bought one of the premade store kits. We created our own design based on some of the inspiration we had seen at The Grove Park Inn.

The kids had fun for about an hour. Eating candy, competing on sides, decorating the roof. Lots of fun.. Then they got bored!! A little bit of a bummer for me as I ended up completing the outside yard area of the gingerbread house alone! I really thought that at least Makenna would hang in for the long haul. Oh well maybe next year.

I loved the premade kit just for the ease of it. Simple, boom bang done. We sat the plastic on a much larger piece of foil for the overall yard area. We used the boxed candy that came in the kit but added a lot of our own. We also made two batches of Royal icing.

Some of the extra items we used were large spice drops, candy canes, mini marshmallows, peppermints, fruit loops, cookie cereal, puffed wheat cereal, powdered sugar, and sprinkles.

Such a fun project!! We will definitely add this to our list of fun things to do and maybe just maybe in a few years we will enter one of our creations in the competition at the Grove Park Inn.

The Greeneteam with their first Gingerbread Creation Ever!! Watch out Grove Park Nationals!

Apple Sauce &Cinnamon Ornaments

2010-12-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Making Cinnamon and Applesauce Gingerbread Decorations has been a tradition at our house for the last 6 years. It was one of the first ornaments I started making with the kids. I remember once Makenna opening a saved Cinnamon ornament from the year before. She breathed in deep and said.."Ahhh that is the smell of Christmas". I love that they only require two ingredients and I love the smell of my house while we are making them.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup cinnamon and 1/2 cup applesauce.

Mix together to form dough. Sprinkle extra cinnamon on the rolling pin and cutting board. Cut your shapes out, make a hole with a straw at the top of the shape for hanging. Bake for 45min to an hour on 275 degrees. Let cool and then decorate with glitter glue, and sequins.

The Greeneteam prepped and ready to make ornaments!!

National Gingerbread Competition.. Grove Park Inn

2010-12-15T18:48:00.001-08:00

My favorite thing about Home Schooling my kids is the FIELD TRIPS that I take them on. I love planning them, taking them and honestly experiencing things with them that I don't think we would have as much time to do if they were in school.

Today I decided to take them to the Grove Park Inn and Resort in Asheville, NC. They host the National Competion for Gingerbread every year. I saw this advertised through the FISH radio Station and instantly thought ROADTRIP!!

I have never attempted making a gingerbread house with the Greeneteam before. This year is going to be our first. (Because I bought a kit) I thought maybe this would give us inspiration and really get our creative juices flowing.

The team in front of this year's winner. She was from Austell, GA and won with a set of Russian Nesting Dolls. They were gorgeous.

I had such a hard time picking just a couple of pics for this post.. There were at least 50 photos to pick from. I sooo wanted to post all the amazing creations. I love art, creativity and food. This field trip encompassed all of those! Talk about an amazing competion!! We loved it!!

The display at The Grove Park Inn runs from Nov 17th-Jan 2, 2011 If you are not a guest at the hotel you may view the display Monday-Thursday. See their website for directions and more information.

If I could be Oprah for a day!!

2010-12-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

How many of us have seen the Oprah Show where she gives away her favorite things? Oh to be in the audience for one of those shows!! I can only imagine how much fun it is to be her during those give away episodes!! Just to see the look on everyones faces as she keeps bringing out new things. FUN!!

Well, if I could be Oprah for a day; one of my favorite things to give away at Christmas would be a copy of The Twelve Blessings of Christmas by T.J. Mills. I happened upon this book at a garage sale one day with the intent on giving it away as a door prize at MOPS. Just before giving it away I decided to read it first. You guessed it.. I kept it for myself.

I absolutely love it. I love getting it out every year at Christmas and just reading about the 12 different Blessings. It remindes me every year to be thankful. It is filled with wonderful Crafts, Recipes and reminders as to how we can be blessings at Christmas. It also focus's on traditional things to do with your family. I love that!!

If I could be Oprah for a day and send it to all my friends I would. I figure the next best thing to that is to share what a wonderful treasure of a book it is. So to each of you I would say order this book and if you are able buy an extra copy and share it with a friend. Merry Christmas!!

Happy Birthday to Jesus Cake

2010-12-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

THE TWELVE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS.. by T.J. Mills.

This is the best Happy Birthday to Jesus Cake that I have ever come across. I love that each thing placed on the cake symbolizes Jesus's love for us. I have been using this with my kids for at least 4 or 5 years. We always read the Christmas Story from the Bible first and then the kids take turns putting each symbol on the cake. At the end we light the candles and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

I use the same Angel, Star, and fake Evergreen each year. We made the Angel and Star out of thin foam craft sheets white for the Angel and Yellow for the star. I used a pipe cleaner to make the Angels Halo. Very Simple and such a great way to explain what Christmas is really about.

Christmas in the Park

2010-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend take the time to go to Christmas in the Park at Suwanee Town Center. Shadowbrook Baptist Church is sponsoring a really great event. This is our first year attending and we will definitely be adding it to our list of FUN and FREE things to do.

Jack and Maddie at the Post Office writing a letter to a Soldier.
All of us inside the refreshment tent getting hot chocolate and a cookie or two!!

Shadowbrook Church has made a small tent town within the park. There is a Library, Bakery, Military Post office, Santa Shop, Chapel, Candy Store, Refreshment area, Nativity, Concert Arena and Train station. It is all so nicely done. There are games, trees lit up, Christmas Music and so much more.

Sadly tonight we arrived with only half an hour left to go. In that amount of time we made a candy cane craft, played two games, went to the refreshment tent, the Santa Shop, and mailed a letter to a soldier. My kids are already asking if they can head back tomorrow. I know I would like to go back to see the Starry Night Nativity and to let the kids ride the train. If we can fit it in we will definitely head back.

Supper with Santa

2010-12-10T19:11:00.001-08:00

The Greeneteam with Santa at our Annual Supper with Santa Visit. 8 years running I believe!!

The Girls having dinner and getting ready for a fun evening of doorprizes, balloons and more!!

Each year the Greeneteam and I attend an event at the Gainesville Mall called Supper with Santa. It is the BEST deal in town as far as I am concerned. Ticket prices run just $3 per child and $4 for adults.

Included in the price.. Dinner, Dessert, Pics with Santa, Face Painting, Balloons, Doorprizes, and a Merry Go Round Ride on the Carousel.

Do I NEED to say anymore?? Such a deal!! My kids love it and so do I. If only every mall would offer such a wonderful event at such a GREAT price.

Catching up.. Wow what a month!!

2010-12-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

So it has been almost a month since I have done a post. Where did it go and what did I do??

We took off for Thanksgiving and went to HOUSTON.. Let me just say what a trip. At some point I would love to catch up and do some posts on all that we saw.. The Ocean, New Orleans, and Sea World. It was truly a GREAT vacation.

We were home for a just a few days and I got the news that my Grandfather William Steward Crookshanks passed away. He was 96.. What a life he led. I was so very lucky to have him as a Grandpa. I left last week for WVA to attend his memorial and just got back in town early in the week.

This week has been a blur.. Trying to get the house back in order, getting the kids to their classes and activities.. CRAZY!! So happy today is FRIDAY!! :)

Going to try to do my December posts about FUN activities for kids. December is one of my favorite months as it is filled with lots of TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES.

Looking forward to sharing with you some of our favorite things!!

Christmas at Amicalola Deer Park

2010-11-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

During the Christmas Season Amicalola Deer Park has visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. First we headed out on a Sleigh hay ride. We fed the deer first, and then we went to visit Santa's cabin. It was decorated with a tree etc and had a small table with hot chocolate ($1) cookies and candy canes (free)

There was plenty of time to take YOUR OWN photos and talk with Santa. He even came out to the sleigh ride and did some magic for the kids. I loved that the kids had just seen the reindeer and were now seeing Santa. It made for some curiosity and questioning.

Two of my four were convinced that he was the REAL DEAL... they pulled on whiskers, noticed his gray eyebrows, and thought his hands looked really old. Maddie could not have been more delighted with Santa. She must have hugged him a dozen times!!

The only thing I would have loved more is if this was all happening at NIGHT. It would have seemed truly magical. Probably not possible but oh if it was!!

The Greeneteam on the Sleigh Hay Ride at Amicalola Deer Park.
"Mom which one of these do you think is Santa's deer?"
The Greeneteam with Santa
Santa and Maddie!!

Santa will be at Amicalola Deer Park

11-13-10/12-19-10

Saturday and Sunday

12-5pm

www.amicaloladeerpark.com

Amicalola Deer Park.. A Hidden Treasure!!

2010-11-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

I love when I stumble upon a new place to visit that I know will leave my children with wonderful memories!! A few weeks back I took the kids out to Elijay. On the way back I spotted a sign that said Amicalola Deer Park. I pulled over to the side of the road and called John and had him look it up to see if it was open. Sadly it was not, but I told him to save it for me so I could research it when I got home. A few days later I did.

Once I viewed their website I knew immediately that it was a place we needed to visit. I could tell by the photos and video that this was a place the Greeneteam would love, a place that they would want to go back to, and a place where memories could be made.

Today the weather was gorgeous so we headed that direction to see the park for ourselves. The Greeneteam was excited and wondered if they would get to see a deer up close. I told them I was pretty sure they would!!

Happy to report that I was right. The park is wonderful. It is a laid back rescue center for more than 150 Deer and other animals. When we pulled in we were met by llamas, a dog, baby goats, deer and more. The workers were all friendly. Our instructions were simply to go buy some deer feed, and explore until the next hay ride came around.

I did not even make it out of the port o potty and the kids were yelling "look mom look!" Makenna was petting a dear in the stream and Carson was petting a beautiful big white dog. Excitement was in the air!!

We walked over and bought our deer feed. We then caught a SLEIGH HAY RIDE to see deer and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. They drove us out to a big field. We then got to feed the bucks, does, and babies. They came right up to the sides and were eating right out of our hands. I would love to have been allowed to get off but I guess the BUCKS were too rough to let us do that. DARN!! Maybe during different seasons you would get to experience that. Not sure??? I think that will be a question for the next time I visit. The kids loved being so up close!

Once we left the deer we headed over to Santa's cabin. (part 2 still to come.. I think it deserves it's own special post so when I finish this one up I will blog about our visit with Santa.)

The next part of our adventure was heading out on a smaller tractor to visit and see some other animals. We saw 2 wolves, Emu's, deer, pigs, and baby horses. The kids loved when we were able to get off the tractor and go to the fence to feed and be up close to them. Nothing like a baby deer nibbling from the palm of your hands. Even Jack, my non loving animal guy had to SMILE!!

Entry into the Amicalola Deer Park.
Makenna petting a deer. We had only been here 5 minutes and she had found a friend.Carson watching the deer from the side of the stream. The deer came up and ate from his hand.
Maddie telling her llama friend "just a minute I am getting you some".
Jack having fun feeding the deer!!

Believe it or not there was more to our adventure. When we arrived back to the main area Channel 2 News was filming for their T.V. series Georgia's Hidden Treasures.. (part 3 of my blog post)

I would highly recommend Amicalola Deer Park. If your children love animals and love being outdoors this is a wonderful adventure.

I know today the Greeneteam thought they were Living the Life!!

Amicalola Deer Park is located West of Amicalola Falls on GA Hwy 52 at mile marker #3. It is 25 minutes from the N.GA Premium Outlets.

www.amicaloladeerpark.com

Admission Prices:

$8 donation adults

$5 donation kids

Under 3 is Free

$5 Seniors

Open Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 19th 11-5pm

* I feel it is only right to say that I did not pay admission into the park today. I agreed to BLOG about my experience at the park and share the information from my visit.

The opinions are solely mine based on the experience my family had today.

KROGER $3.99 Chicken!!

2010-11-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when Kroger puts Rotisserie Chicken on Sale for $3.99 each. That is when I totally stock up and buy anywhere from 6-8 chickens.

I am thankful that I have a husband who will sit and completely take the chickens apart. I do not like chicken on the bone and so it just kind of gives me creeps to tear it all apart. YEAH JOHN for helping me on this one.

Once he tears the chicken apart I go to work.. Freezing the meat, making stock and making chicken noodle soup!! I will not lie to you this is a lot of work. I usually spend an entire evening 6++ hours getting it all cooked, cleaned and ready for the freezer. By the time I am done I am exhausted and really could care less about the chicken.

However, the upside on this is that for a month or two I have frozen chicken, chicken stock, and chicken noodle soup ready to go in my freezer.

$24 worth of chicken!! 5 stockpots full of chicken stock and two full plates of meat!!
6 meals worth of chicken that I freeze for stews, casseroles, chicken pot pies, tacos etc.
8 Quarts of chicken stock frozen and ready for use in my recipes. We love homemade chicken stock!!

I cannot say enough good things about the $3.99 Rotisserie chickens. We bought 6 chickens for $24. You can see from the pictures some of what I was able to freeze and use.

In total:

2 lunch meals for 6 using the white chicken sandwich meat for sandwiches..YUM!!

8 quarts of frozen stock

6 frozen meals of quart size chicken 3 dark 3 white

1 fresh pot of chicken noodle soup

3 frozen meals of chicken noodle soup

Chicken Stock/Chicken Noodle soup

Once the chickens are taken apart I put 1 chicken carcass/bones in water with an onion, 2-3 carrots,3 stalks of celery including the leaves, huge spoon of garlic, salt, pepper, several chicken boullion cubes, garlic salt, and 2-3 bay leaves. I bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or so. I then turn it to a lower temp and let it cook for 2 hours. Once done I strain out the large ingredients leaving just the stock. I then take a fine strainer and strain it once more. I do not discard the large bones until I go through them for any chicken that I can use for my chicken noodle soup. There is usually enough meat off of this that I get a nice amt of chicken without needing to use my dark or white meat.

When freezing my stock I use qt size bags. I wait for the stock to cool. I then pour the stock into bags that are labeled and dated and lay flat in my freezer. These are perfect for lemon chicken, soups, stews, chili, and any recipe that calls for stock.

I usually use Tupperware containers to freeze my chicken noodle soup base. I say it is a base because I only freeze the broth and chicken. Later I will add fresh noodles, carrots and peas!! This soup is perfect for a cold day, sick kids, or a quick and easy lunch/dinner!!

I use the meat that I freeze for so many things. Tacos, enchiladas, casseroles, chicken pot pie, lemon chicken etc. It freezes so well and tastes to fresh!!

In my opinion you cannot beat this deal!! If you know of a way to do it cheaper let me know?? I am always looking for ways to save!!

They say fresh stock will keep 3 days or so in your fridge or you can freeze for up to 3 months. I know I have kept it frozen longer!!

Next time you go Krogering watch for the $3.99 Rotisserie deal!!

"THANKSGIVING IN A BAG"

2010-11-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

This year my small group in our Home school Club was in charge of the Thanksgiving Feast. My idea for a coordinating service project was to create and then donate

"THANKSGIVING IN A BAG".

I had seen a similar idea from my friend Jennie a few years back. She had friends bring items for a Birthday bag. Cake mix, candles, plates, napkins, icing etc. The kids then decorated the bags, filled it with the Birthday party items and her kids took them to the local food shelter. I loved the idea and have had it in the back of my head since.

I got on a local food site to see what items were needed for their food pantry. Most of them were Thanksgiving oriented. (see Makenna's list below) I then posted the list to my home school group and asked them to bring what they could to our feast.

When I initially started this project I planned to go and buy all the foods on the list. However, during prep of the paper bags and sample bags Makenna said something that made me think maybe the kids should just go door to door collecting for our HS food drive.

I am so glad that we did the door to door collecting. The kids loved asking for donations. They ran around the neighborhood for over 2 hours. When they would get a can of food they would give me the thumbs up. When they were turned down they would give me a thumbs down, or shake their heads no. They all participated and in just a little over 2 hours had collected almost 45 cans of food.

Maddie was particularly excited after collecting several cans. I asked her why she was so happy and she replied..."Mama it just feels good to help other people"!!

Thats my girl.. Lesson learned!!

Our list for door to door collecting of foods!!In two hours the Greeneteam collected almost 45 cans!!
Our sample Thanksgiving bags.

Mademoiselle Marie and Fifi!!

2010-10-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

At the last minute Makenna decided to change her costume. She went from being a magician to Mademoiselle Marie from Paris..

I love her, I love her creativity and I love how she puts herself into her character. I had purchased a poodle that I thought she would love for Christmas. When she decided to transform to Marie I felt like it was the perfect time to give it to her. Add a scarf and a little Makeup.. Voila.. Mademoiselle Marie and her French Poodle Fifi!!

Mademoiselle Marie and her French Poodle Fifi!!
LOVE this picture of her. With her scarf blowing I think she looks like a model from a magazine.
Standing with the beautiful flowers!!
A costume that fits her perfect!!

Pumpkin Faces...

2010-10-30T19:35:00.001-07:00

My boy Carson LOVES fall.. He loves farms, pumpkins, hayrides, animals, and overall being outside with nature. If you give this boy a pumkin to carve and clean he lights up. He loves it!!

When he was done carving his pumpkin this year I said "So make me some pumpkin faces". Normally, at such a silly idea he would argue with me, however he did it with no problem.

You can see from the look on his face that when he is doing something he LOVES he is all about fun and loving life!!

Jack and The Jack O Lantern!!

2010-10-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

Every year the kids and I carve pumpkins. It is always fun to see what the kids want to do. I love seeing their expressions and hearing what they think of the insides of the pumpkin.

My favorite every year has to be JACK.. He likes the pumpkin patch, likes Trick or Treating, Loves to eat the candy, but HATES to carve the STINKY pumpkins!! It is hysterical to watch him clean his pumpkin out. He can't stand the smell, hates to touch the squishy insides, and is overall disgusted with the entire process. He does it because he likes the end result.. a Jack O Lantern of his own.

He has improved a little over the years. This year he got pretty far along in the process. I always think when we start out is this going to be the year that Jack is ok cleaning and carving his pumpkin?? Then it begins and it is just another stinky, smelly, squishy pumpkin!! It reminds me of watching The Great Pumpkin every year with Charlie Brown.. You are so hopeful that Charlie Brown is going to have fun and be accepted, but in the end he always gets rocks!!

Jack flicking off the seed of the pumpkin!!
This is soooo gross!!
So squishy.. do I really have to do this??
The smell is killing me!!
Jack with his Jack O Lantern!! This is how he prefers pumpkins!!

Fall Traditions!!

2010-10-23T21:30:00.001-07:00

The Greeneteam heading to our friends 2nd annual Halloween Costume Party!!
John and I with our friends The Howards!! They are wonderful hosts and throw a great party!!
Carson at Hillcrest Apple Orchards with the single puppy that was there this year!!
The Greeneteam at Hillcrest Apple Orchards in Ellijay October 21,2010.

When I think of fall I instantly think of the Pumpkin Patch, Apple Orchard, Costume Parties, Trick or Treating, Bonfires, and Fall Festivals. Happiness is the word that comes to mind!! Who doesn't love having so many wonderful things to choose from in the fall?? My problem... I can't choose. They are all a tradition at my house!! Sign me up almost every weekend for something and at the end of the fall season I am a happy girl. I have taken lots of pictures, have made some wonderful memories with my kids, and most of all have enjoyed the wonderful weather and the beautiful fall !! I know in my heart that truly I am LIVING THE LIFE!!

Bradley's Pumpkin Patch.. A Tradition!!

2010-10-17T21:00:00.001-07:00

Seven years ago we discovered a wonderful family pumpkin patch called Bradley's. It has been "our patch" ever since. As I remember the story, my sister Diana wanted to take the kids to a place that felt down home. She did not want to go to a tourist type pumpkin patch. I told her to go ahead and do the research to see what she could find in our local area. She found Bradley's. I remember she went out ahead of the group we were taking to make sure it was the type of patch that she had in mind. It was.

Here we are seven years later and the Greeneteam feels like Bradley's is as close to their grandparents farm in WV as they have ever known. When we arrive it feels like we are seeing family that we have not seen for a year.

We have watched Bradley go from a 12 year old boy to a 19 year old young man. When we are at the farm the boys feel like Bradley is almost the older brother or cousin that they have never had. He let's them sit on the gator, shows them things around the farm and is just a nice boy. Tony his dad is kind of a Grandpa and Karen the mom a Grandma of sorts.

The kids love the hayride. Tony tells the same stories year after year. The kind of stories that hopefully when your kids are older they will remember. They will think about the man that used to give them hayrides and would remind them to "stick to their roots, mind their parents, and realize that although you don't always land where you want you can still grow!! "

Bradley's is a hidden gem in North Georgia. The kind of place where you can arrive in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day exploring, taking a hayride, browsing through the gift shop and buying a pumpkin. They sell hotdogs, drinks, boiled peanuts, homemade soaps, pumpkins and more.

If you find yourself out that way take the time to stop and say hello. I know you will be glad you did. Bradley's is located in Dawsonville near Amicalola Falls.

My boys sitting by the pumpkins at Bradley's.
Makenna perched up in a tree at Bradley's pumpkin patch. Nothing like reading and relaxing on the farm on a beautiful fall day.

"I've got the Music in me".. Funny story

2010-10-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight Maddie sang me her latest song called

"THE SUMMER"

I was telling her how good it was and that I thought she was going to be a great singer one day. Then I told her that I was quite certain that she got her TALENT from me.

(Kidding of course but I love to tease her).. She then said.."No mama I don't think I got my talent from you" (SMART GIRL), and I said,

"Then where do you think you got it??" She said,

"I AM STARTING A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF TALENT."

After laughing my butt off, I tried then to convince her that she had indeed gotten her talent from me by singing several made up crazy songs.

(In one I was rapper mama, another Super Country Mama... Basically awful.)

She, shockingly, was still not buying that she got her talent from me.

Suddenly, the song "I've Got the Music in Me" popped into my head and I thought this will do it. She will have to think that I have given her some kind of musical talent. Yeah right!!

I said, "Let me think a minute," and then I started singing

"I've got the Music in Me, I've got the Music in me."

She began laughing, and laughing, and laughing some more.

I said, "What? You don't like my song???" She then replied,

"That is not good mama..not good at all."

This is when I told her it was a real song..

She did not believe me!!

You-Tube videos to the rescue.. Boom, Bam, Voila!! Proof that it is a song and with a video of the singer Kiki Dee to boot!! Gotta love You Tube!!

She started watching it and said,

"See mama she has a beat and you, well you don't."

She then danced and danced to the real..

I've got the Music in me from 1975!!

I truly believe Ms. Maddie Mae has the music in her. One day years from now I hope that she will laugh at this story and realize that from the beginning, even as a baby, her mama always believed that she heard things in music. I also hope she will realize that her real singing talent was never from her mama, but given to her as a gift from God.

NEW ENGLAND POT ROAST.. YUM.. 5 STAR!!!

2010-10-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Connecticut has been our FAVORITE STATE so far.. Why you might ask?? Because of the wonderful pot roast we cooked.

Below you will find a must try recipe!!

The kids said "MOM you bought the MOST AMAZING INGREDIENTS" .." No, not really.". It was the way we put it together and followed a recipe.

So far this has been my favorite as far as teaching the kids about cooking and food. They really were amazed at how wonderful food combined in the right way could taste.

So get out your recipe cards and get ready for a recipe you will use and use again!!

Here Jack is flowering and putting the Pot Roast in the pan. It will cook and brown for 15 min.
Once browned it gets topped with horseradish on BOTH sides.
Our finished product.. This does NOT do it justice.. YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM!! 5 STARS!!

1/4 cup flour

1 T.plus 2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp pepper

4 lbs lean boned beef chuck roast

2 T vegetable broth or butter

5 oz prepared horseradish

1 cup water

8 small potatoes, pared and halved

8 small carrots, halved crosswise

8 small onions

1/2 tsp salt

** optional peas for color/taste

1. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper; rub mixture on meat.

2. Heat butter in Dutch Oven; brown meat over med heat about 12-15 minutes

3. Reduce Heat; spread horseradish on both sides of meat. Add water; cover tightly and simmer on top of range about*** 4 hours or until meat is tender.

4. About 1 hour before end of cooking time, add veges and 1/2 tsp salt.

Our roast was smaller than this.. Which is why I have the **** listed. Please adjust your cooking time if you have a much smaller roast.. Ours was not quite 3 pounds so I think I dropped cooking time by about an hour. When we thought the meat was done we pulled it and continued to cook the vegetables until done.

I will use this recipe EVERY time I make a pot roast.. FABULOUS!!

Van Pugh Park North -Lake Sidney Lanier

2010-09-24T17:39:00.001-07:00

I love going to the beach in the summer. We only live 15-20 minutes from Lake Lanier Islands in Buford. A couple of weekends ago I was looking for a beach with a boat ramp so that we could put my cousins wave runner in. I wanted a place where the kids could play and swim while they were waiting for their turn.

I lucked into finding a beach called Van Pugh Park North. It was exactly what I wanted. It has a spot to put your boat in, a playground that over looks the lake, and 2 different beach areas. Both areas have a safety line for swimming which I love. It also has several picnic table spots as well as a huge pavilion with a fireplace that would be so fun to host a family gathering or party!! The views are beautiful and I will say that so far it is the nicest park I have come across on the lake. Entry fee is $4 per car with a season pass available for $30.

My recommendation: While the weather is still gorgeous grab a picnic, your suits and towels and go spend the day at this wonderful park. We may just see you there!!

Jackson pushing his cousin on the swing. This play area is very nice and over looks the lake.
Having a picnic at Van Pugh with the family.. Gotta love takeout picnics!! :)Maddie and Carson near the spot to get on the wave runner.

Part 2 Georgia/ Coca Cola Salad

2010-09-22T12:55:00.001-07:00

Part 2: We had to try this next recipe just to say that we did!! I figured the kids would not like it and I was right. I think the cherries and just the look of it through them all off..especially my Jack. He has a weak stomach just like his old grandpa used too!! That being said John and I both liked it and only wish we had served it with the Chicken Delight as opposed to serving it as a dessert.. Who knew??

Cooking with the Greeneteam.. here they are waiting for our gelatin to boil.
The look of the finished product.. A little spooky.. Jack said it looked like something dead from a Halloween party.. Gotta love kids

Ingredients for the Coca Cola Salad:

1 can pitted bing cherries. I would quarter them

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

1 3-oz box black cherry gelatin and one box strawberry gelatin

1 12 oz coca cola chilled

8 oz cream cheese crumbled

1 cup chopped pecans

Drain fruit, reserving liquid

Bring reserved juice to a boil

add gelatin; stir until dissolved

Cool slightly and add Coca Cola. Cool a little while longer

Add cream cheese, fruit, and pecans.

Chill until firm.

Our review.. the kids were a no go on this one.. John and I enjoyed it. Wish we had served with our dinner. This makes a HUGE salad.. I would not make it again for just our family as we ended up throwing away a good portion of it.. I would make it for a potluck or to take to a large Thanksgiving Feast. I would say it is like a gourmet cranberry sauce. Enjoy!!

Part 1 Georgia's Chicken Delight

2010-09-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

We are still cooking our way through the U.S.A. :) We cooked a dish for N. J. but decided not to blog about it because it was the basic chicken stuffing recipe that I know so many of us make. So moving on we are now at the GREAT state of GEORGIA.. We made two for this state since it is our home state. Here is a fabulous recipe for Chicken Delight.

Our Ingredients
Makenna pouring our mixture into the baking dish.
The finished Chicken Delight.
We served the chicken delight with cranberry sauce, green beans, stuffing and biscuits.. YUM

Chicken Delight

4 chicken breasts, Salt and pepper to taste

1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers crushed

8 oz sour cream butter melted,

1/2-2/3 cup of milk

Boil the chicken. Cool and chop

Combine chicken, soup, sour cream, and milk. Salt and pepper to taste

Pour into shallow baking dish.

Top with Crackers

Drizzle with butter

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and crackers are golden.

This recipe was absolutely delicious!! The entire family LOVED it!!

The Missing Eyebrow!!

2010-09-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my girl Makenna with a mostly missing eyebrow!! Funny but NOT!!

Ok.. So I had to blog about my girl Makenna !! I was away this week for a relaxing trip to Ohio with my sisters.. When I returned, John and the kids picked me up at the airport. Within minutes I hear all kinds of stories.. I mean seriously all kinds of stories.. One was how they had gone to dinner at the QT to get slushies and Hot dogs because the kitchen was such a disaster. Another was how they watched TONS of T.V and did hardly any school. The kicker though was when Carson said "Did you hear about Makenna losing an eyebrow?" .. I mean seriously?? Is this something one should expect to hear?? I think my husband was about to run off the road.. My kids just couldn't keep their mouths shut about all the MISADVENTURES they had while I was away!!

The backstory: Makenna decided her eyebrows were too bushy and trimmed them with manicure scissors!! CRAZY, I know but if you are familiar with Makenna not so CRAZY!! She is my little RAMONA.. She marches to the beat of a different drum, she colors outside the lines when it comes to creativity and personality. Gotta love her!!

On a positive note my mother is here visiting and said that she may not have noticed the EYEBROW damage because her bangs are so long.. She had a good laugh of course when she saw them but perhaps the local girl at Walmart or even her friends will not even take notice of Makenna's latest adventure!!

As for future trips for me???? I look at it like this.. I came home to a mostly clean house, a mowed lawn and 4 kids that were alive!! Good enough!! Thanks Baby John for giving me a break, and letting me recharge my batteries.

The eyebrow adventure may have done me in before I went on vacation.... but after my relaxing getaway it was just another day of LIVING THE LIFE!!

Dinnertime Trivia

2010-08-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I would tell you about a FUN GAME we made up called Dinnertime Trivia. This is very similar to the game show that Alex Tribec hosts. ????????? Can't think of the name of the show. Anyhow, we play this game using skittles (see picture below).

Each Color of Skittle represents a category:

Blue: Geography

Pink: Math

Green: History

Red: Science

Peach: Spelling

We go around the table and each person answers a question per category. (Based on their age level) If they get the answer right they get to EAT the skittle/dessert. If they answer the question wrong we give them another question. While playing you can answer in any order you want until you have eaten all your skittles. Depending on how long you want to make the game you can just extend it with another round of Skittles for each person.

My kids love this game and so do John and I. It is a fun way to make them earn their dessert. It also makes for a longer evening at the dinner table talking, learning, and having fun which in my opinion is never a bad thing.

Maddie and John playing Dinnertime Trivia. John is usually the host of our game!!

42 and life is a zoo !!

2010-08-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

Today I turned 42 years old!! It doesn't seem possible. Turning 21, 30, and even 40 seems just like yesterday. It just goes to show that time does not stand still. I had a great day with my husband and the Greeneteam. Here are a few pictures enjoy!!

Going to the movies to see Nanny McPhee Returns with the team.. This is a follow up from meeting her last week at the Margarett Mitchell House. They loved seeing her on the BIG SCREEN!!
MY TEAM.. Honestly how lucky can one Mama get?? I need to remind myself daily how wonderful they are and how Blessed beyond measure that I am.
Me and my honey. I love that he stopped work early to come spend the afternoon/evening with the kids and I. He is always there for me. Love you honey even if you did beat me in putt putt!!
This picture says it all. LIVING THE LIFE I TELL YOU !! They are ornery, silly, sweet, cute, lovable, crazy, smart and so much more. They are what keeps me going, and what makes me want to crawl into bed exhausted everyday of the week. Love my team and I am so glad God has put me here to be their mama!!

Since it is my Birthday, I want to share a quick story: During my moms thirties my Dad decided to start giving each Birthday year a little "Motto or Title " if you will.. Here are a few I remember.. 38 was GREAT, 49 was FINE, 50 was NIFTY.. You get the point. I have been trying to come up with one of my own for 42. I won't share the depressing ones such as 42, Fat and blue, or 42 and Not a clue. Instead, I will share the one that is on my heart today which is after all my Birthday..42 and Life is a ZOO!!

It seems perfect!!!

PENNSYLVANIA.. Chicken Paprika

2010-08-16T18:32:00.001-07:00

Carson adding our chicken to the hot oil. He absolutely LOVES to cook!!
Makenna still adding chicken to the oil. She is such a good little homemaker already!!
Maddie (with the help of Daddy) adding onions and the remaining flour .
Jack stirring our onions, water, boullion, salt, pepper and paprika.

CHICKEN PAPRIKA

2 1/2 pounds small chicken pieces.

1/3 cup flour

oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes ( we substituted homemade chicken stock for the water and bouillon cubes)

2 tsp salt

pepper as desired

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup sour cream

noodles.

1. Coat chicken with flour; reserve remaining flour. Brown chicken in hot oil, remove from pan.

2. Cook onions and remaining flour in hot oil for 2-3 minutes. Stir in water, bouillon, salt, pepper, and paprika.

3. Return chicken to pan, cover and simmer for 20-40 minutes.

4. Stir in sour cream;serve with or over noodles

5. Sprinkle with a touch of paprika

The Greeneteam gives this dish from Pennsylvania two thumbs up!! The sauce was creamy and delicious and spiced just right. We served it over butterfly noodles but would be wonderful over spaghetti, penne, or linguine!! Enjoy

*Fun food facts about PA..

*Hershey, PA is the home to the world's largest chocolate factory.* Philly is famous for its Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

*The chocolate chip cookie is the official state cookie!!

The Many faces of Maddie

2010-08-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

ANGEL MADDIE
CUTE MADDIE
SILLY MADDIE
GOOFY MADDIE
CHEESY MADDIE
MOODY MADDIE

Today was a busy day..We had two Birthday parties to attend. Then when I got home Johns meeting was running way, way, longer than I had expected. That combined with the long day had me in a bit of a mood. So tonight when I sat down to look at my pics I had to laugh at my girl Maddie. She is a character to say the least. Lucky for me most of the time this little character keeps me laughing. Enjoy The Many Faces of Maddie!!

An afternoon with Emma Thompson.. aka Nanny McPhee !!

2010-08-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

Emma Thompson Author of Nanny McPhee Returns , and , the star of the movie.
The Greeneteam getting their book signed at the Margaret Mitchell House .. Atlanta
Maddie High fiving Emma Thompson
The Greeneteam standing outside of the Historic Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta.

Do you ever have those moments when you are really not expecting anything and then Surprise you are completely delighted and have had the most wonderful time?? Well, today was one of those days for me.

We had the amazing opportunity to go see Oscar Winning Actress Emma Thompson at the Historic Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta. They held a FREE Members Only Event to promote the book and movie that is coming out next week.

When we arrived they gave us our tickets and asked the children to take a seat in the front on the floor. I noticed that people were handing books to their kids so I sent John to buy one book for the Greeneteam. Thank goodness, I did, because the lady next to me came back after John and said she had bought the last 3 books. Can I tell you how disappointed Makenna would have been if I had not been able to get a book for her. TRAGEDY I tell you.. (Thankfully that did not happen)

The History Center then served tea and biscuits to the children..How cute is that?? Within a minute The Greeneteam came with their three cups of tea and told John and I that they had "accidentally taken something that didn't taste good". We had to laugh out loud. Perhaps I need to start an afternoon tea here at The Lake Vista Home School Academy!!

Moving on.. they did a small reading from the book and then TA DA.. Emma Thompson came in the side door. Let me just say in the tiny bit of time that we were with her she was the most delightful, charismatic, friendly person you would ever want to meet. She did a Q&A for about 25 minutes and when they told her she was on her last question she took at least 10 more!! So nice!! This was how all of the Greeneteam got to ask questions.

Was it fun to work with the children in the movie?? .. Maddie

How long did the movie take to film?... Makenna

Will there be a Nanny McPhee 3??.... Jackson

Where did you film the movie?? ... Carson

After she finished answering the questions, she headed to sign books for everyone. We thankfully were at the beginning of the line and had less than a 10 minute wait. In the meantime John took our tickets and headed to go pick up FREE T-shirts and posters for the kids.. How great is that??

When it was our turn to get the book signed she was so nice. The kids told her how we were "THE GREENES" just like the main characters in the book. Kind of comical that we have the same name. She told me how beautiful the Greeneteam was, signed the book, and then high fived Maddie good bye!!

When we got in the car I looked at the book inscription it said:

For The GreeneTeam

How gorgeous are you??

Love Emma Thompson

XXXX

Thank you Atlanta History Center, The Margaret Mitchell House and especially Emma Thompson for a truly delightful day.

" KROGERING "

2010-08-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Maddie and Makenna coming out of Kroger by themselves!
Home with the Goods!!!

So yesterday I went to make dinner and realized that we did NOT have any Cream of Chicken Soup in the house. I did not want to change my recipe, did not want to go to the store, and sooooo, I decided that my girls were capable of managing KROGER without me . I know, go ahead laugh out loud.. Suddenly they are capable because I do not feel like going to the store. What can I say?? Some days you just don't feel like getting ready and heading out.. Two little girls in the grocery store to get a couple of things how bad could it be??

Let me say they were "OVER THE MOON", "THRILLED", ECSTATIC to do this little job I had for them. Truly I am not sure how they contained themselves for the 4 minute ride to KROGER..

The list

Pack of soda

2 cans of Cream of Chicken

Bag of Russett Potatoes

Shredded bag of Monterey Jack Cheese..

I gave them the list, $20 and a pep talk.. YES they got a pep talk. I told them to grab the small cart and not the big one. I then asked them questions on where and what they would look for first. They did really good. They knew that the soda I bought was in the entry, the vegetable section came next and that the cheese would be found in the dairy section. I told them to read the little signs on the aisle so they would know where the SOUP was..

They were only gone a few minutes when I got a phone call. I thought " Seriously???? How hard is it to get a few items?? They have been shopping with me since the day they were born. When I answered Makenna said.. "Hi mom it's me" ... "YES," I said.. She then surprised me by saying.. " when I was cleaning earlier today I realized we were out of paper towels.. would you like me to pick a roll up??" .. "absolutely, good thinking" I said. I then thought to myself.. Woo Hoo!! Not only is she shopping but thinking of other things we need. I cannot tell you how I went from being slightly frustrated at getting a call, to over the moon PROUD!!

I then waited and watched for them to come out of Kroger. I saw them standing at the entry looking for our car. I beeped the horn and they came running.. ( thankfully looking both ways before they ran across.) When they saw me they said.. "It went great except we were short"..SHORT I thought...HOW??? When I glanced in the cart I knew immediately. They had grabbed an eight pack of BOUNTY paper towels as opposed to a roll of paper towels.. I had to laugh!!!! I said how much do you need?? We don't need any money mama..the man gave it to us because we were kids.. (THANK YOU kind person at Kroger). Wouldn't it be great if that was the way it worked for me I thought..

I sent them back with the seventy nine cents they were short and told them to thank the man. When they came back the second time, I think they had even bigger smiles on their faces than before, if that was possible. We talked about the shopping experience and I told them how proud I was of them.

Honestly, the whole thing makes me laugh..Normally John or I would have gone to the store. However, because he was busy and I didn't feel like getting dressed the girls got to have a "KROGERING EXPERIENCE" they will not soon forget.

A genius plan!!!

2010-08-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ok.. I can't believe that I only blogged TWICE in July!! Shocked I tell you!! All that I can say is that I must have been BUSY.. Need to do better in August so here goes. :)

My boys celebrated their 9th Birthday yesterday...

The day started off with a Birthday Money Balloon.

Let me first say that my boys did NOT have a Birthday party.. They chose instead to take a $50 cash payoff..This cash payoff came the morning of their Birthday in the form of a Birthday Money Balloon.

John and I hung the balloon the night before while they were sleeping. When they awoke in the A.M. ....Voila a MONEY BALLOON hanging from the ceiling.

I will tell you that when they came in to wake us up the words that I heard were:

"This was a genius plan!" Seriously they loved it!!

We spent the day shopping, eating lunch out and rollerskating. Overall having a GREAT day..

In the end though, Jack came in and said.. "Mama, the money balloon was the best thing ever. " I said, I am glad you liked it. He then said, "Can you imagine how great it would be if EVERY DAY you could wake up to a money balloon??" YEAH, I said.. I can imagine it.. Can't you????

I think it is these little things that we do as moms that keep our kids dreaming, guessing, thinking, and wondering!!

MADDIE....LIVING THE LIFE

2010-07-13T19:30:00.001-07:00

Maddie is " LIVING THE LIFE" this week. For 4 full days she has mom and dad completely to herself. This has never happened!!! I am not sure she has ever even had a full day with us to herself much less four!! I asked her what she wanted to do????????????

Crafts, games, reading, and snuggling were her first responses!!

We spent the day doing just that... We made friendship bracelets, played Scrabble, read, and snuggled. The end of the night was a special Spa Night Treat. What can I say??? My girls are going to be HIGH MAINTENANCE women when they get married. My wonderful husband gives me a massage practically every day and a foot rub whenever I ask for it..

So, on Maddies first night of being an "ONLY CHILD" she was spoiled like a princess. He brought her up a Virgin Pina Colada after her hot bath, and then gave her a wonderful foot massage,and he even painted her little toes. Do you know how sweet it is to see a daddy painting his little girls toes??? After she was done, she laid in bed reading American Girl Magazines thinking and saying out loud that she, Maddie Greene, was truly "LIVING THE LIFE."

Off To Camp!!!

2010-07-12T19:41:00.001-07:00

Well it is official.. The Greeneteam has left and gone to their first Summer Camp EVER!! I don't think they have ever even been to a day camp before much less away for 5 nights!! What was I thinking??? REST, RELAXATION, QUIET???

Truly the answer to that is NO.. What I really want them to get out of this besides an enriching Spiritual experience is to feel that I trust them enough to let them go and, in their words be "BIG KIDS"!! I want them to grow in Gods word, make friendships, and experience some time away from mom, dad and little sister Maddie.

Tonight the phone rang and I got so nervous that it was the camp already asking us to pick them up.. It made me question whether I have any FAITH in them or myself and my mothering skills at all. Surely my kids can last a week at camp like other kids can't they?? I sure hope so.. I will let you know how it goes.. In the meantime here are a few FUNNY quotes that the kids said as they were getting ready for camp..

"We have become tiny men".. Jack

"Makenna, can you believe mom is sending us away to camp?? It's like she trust us or something"... Carson

"Mom what should I do if no one likes me?" Before I could answer she said.." I know find the really least liked girl and make friends with her"

"I am confident but scared" .. Jack

Screaming "I love you mom" as the car was half way down the road.... Carson

MAKENNA PACKED AND READY TO GO!!!!

Library Summer activities/reading program

2010-06-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

Maddie with an Albino Bermese Python Snake at the library Reptile Program

Makenna volunteered and was able to touch a Bearded Dragon.

The library reading program gave us free coupons for a kids ice cream.

Somedays seem to work out really well even though you didn't plan them that way. Today I took the kids over to the library for one of their summer programs called My reptile guy. I wasn't sure what to expect but figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I did.

We arrived early and were able to get good seats. By 1:30 when the program started it was PACKED. The Reptile guys or in this case ladies showed us a nice variety of reptiles... Iquanas, Boa Constrictors, Russian Tortoise, Bearded Dragon, Tree Snake, an Albino Python and more.
They gave us information on each and at the end of the show opened it to a petting zoo of sorts. It was a lot of fun. The library was great and already had books pulled about the Reptiles for us to check out.

The kids and I also signed up for the summer reading program. Set your own goal and then go back for a free book. Included in the packet for the summer reading program .. Free icecream from Chick Fil A and Free Mr. Freeze from Sonic. When the program was over we checked out our books and headed to Chick Fil A to eat ice cream and read our reptile books in the AC.. Talk about a treat!!

We learned a lot about tortoises, sea turtles, snakes and Iquanas today and it was all free.. Gotta love that!! The libraries are hosting lots of events this summer. Make sure to check out the programs at your local library. Some events included at ours..puppet shows, magic shows, free crafts and more!!

Frances Meadows Aquatic Center

2010-06-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

Frances Meadows is a wonderful water park in Gainesville. I believe it opened last summer. The kids and I have gone several times and always have a great time. There are two water slides. They have an open water slide and an enclosed slide. There is a lazy river/whirlpools that the kids love as well as the dumping stations all around. There are also two pools on the inside of the facility.

Things I love:

They allow the kids to wear life jackets.

There are lifeguards at every station.

Price is not bad $5 in town residents $7 out of town

They have 3 or 4 giant umbrellas that provide a ton of shade.

They have lots of chairs for you to sit in.

So much fun you will want to stay all day.. :)

Things I don't love:

No outside food or drinks allowed. The price is not horrible for items $2 hot dog or pizza, $1 for a lot of the snacks. It does add up though especially when you stay all day which trust me you will want to do.
No readmittance. Once you leave you must pay to reenter.

Lifeguards are VERY strict. It also seems like they take a break every 30-40 minutes and clear the pool for 10 minutes. (not sure if this is a bad thing but you do here a lot of whistle blowing.)

I cannot say enough good things about Frances Meadows. It truly is a place that I can go and relax and let the kids have fun. Well worth the admittance fee.

Tubing in Helen, GA

2010-06-20T15:13:00.001-07:00

To celebrate Fathers Day this year we decided to take the kids and do something that we have wanted to do for at least 10 years.

TUBE DOWN THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER IN HELEN!!

We had a great time overall and will definitely go back. Here are some things I wish we had known before we went.

TIPS FOR TUBING IN HELEN:

Water shoes, old Tennis Shoes or sandals that strap on your feet are a must. Do not go bare foot or wear flip flops. It is really hard to get your footing in flip flops when you are on the rocks. You will get stuck and occassionally have to get off your float. My flip flops barely made it and Jack lost his completely. Apparently lots of people do as their was a LOST SOULS tree filled with shoes. :)
Pushing sticks for each 2 tubes. (They suggest only hooking 2 tubes together for safety and John agreed. He had 3 tubes and it got tricky more than a few times) They sell the pushing sticks there. We made ours with an old broom handle and then tied a string at the top to hold onto. Other people used long thicker sticks.
Safety pin your car key inside your suit or somewhere safe.
If you are even slightly questioning life jackets go ahead and get them. We put my mom and Maddie in them and I was very glad we did. We had barely got my mom on her tube and she fell in. Safety first. I actually saw somebody on a float with a tiny baby and she did not have a life jacket on her. My opinion NO WAY..
Buy a water camera to take with you. I believe they sell them there but they are usually pricey in the shops.
Cost for tubing is just $3 per person. You can choose the long ride or a short ride. We went with the long ride and it took us about 2.5 hours. It is definitely worth the money and is a fun family activity. The Greeneteam is already asking when they can go back. We give tubing in Helen two thumbs up!!

Towns County Beach, Hiawassee GA

2010-06-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

The kids and I headed to Towns County Beach in Hiawassee today with Grandma. The beach has been open for 3 summers now and the kids absolutely LOVE it!! It is located right across the street from The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Entry is FREE and Parking is FREE!! There are 2 large picnic pavilions, a huge playground, restrooms, snack shop, and of course the beach. There are other swings located up in the shaded trees as well as misc. picnic tables.

The water seems pretty clean, and the swimming area is well marked. It does get deep even in the marked area so if you have little ones be sure to have life vest. Parking is limited. My suggestion... arrive early in the day with a well stocked cooler, beach chairs, beach umbrella, plenty of sunscreen and sand toys.

If you have never been to Hiawassee it is a wonderful little town. There are two grocery stores, Mcdonalds, Subway, Zaxbys, DQ, and Hardys. There is a Dollar General to pick up anything you might have forgotten. There are also plenty of little shops to look around in as well as nicer restaurants. If you come for an overnight and want to head out to dinner make sure to go to Enricos. It serves some of the best Italian food ever.

The Greeneteam and I highly reccomend this wonderful little beach. It is a hidden gem here in the mountains of North Georgia.

"MAMA SHOPS"

2010-06-14T20:59:00.001-07:00

A few years ago I opened up MAMA'S SUB SHOP. We had been in Bible School all week and it was the last day and the kids wanted to celebrate. They really wanted to go out to eat but we didn't have the money. So instead I thought of MAMA'S SUB SHOP.. I set up all the sandwich ingredients like a Subway and let them come through line like they were ordering at the restaurant. No charge of course except a THANK YOU MAMA!!! All of them loved it and we have been doing it ever since.

I have even opened MAMAS TACO SHOP, and tonight for the first time MAMA'S NAIL SALON!! I think my girls were in HEAVEN!! They loved getting their nails done. Maddie pretended the whole time that she was MISS MADDIE MAE and she talked to me like I was the nail lady MS. Alana. :) It was cute. The best part was when she said " mama there is nothing better than mother daughter time." Couldn't agree more Maddie!! ( The $30 in savings for 3 manicures wasn't bad either) :) Love my girls!!

Bald Face Hornet Discovery!!

2010-06-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today Maddie spotted the most beautiful hive up in our tree.. Isn't it gorgeous??? I can't believe that we haven't spotted it before now. I have to say it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen in person. It really looks like a ball of twine up there that someone drilled a hole into. Just amazing.

From the research we have done it appears to be a Bald Face Hornets Nest. It seems that they are most common in the Southeastern United States. They are best known for their large football shaped paper nest that can sometimes reach 3 feet tall. Supposedly the nest will be abandoned by winter and will not be reused.

As a home school family I think it would be great if we could leave it in the tree and watch nature take it's course over the coming months. We can study and read about the species and watch the changes that occur. If you happen to be in our area and want to see it for yourself let me know. In the meantime I will be sure to keep you posted on growth and activity.

GIVE A KID A CAMERA...

2010-06-10T21:12:00.001-07:00

These were taken at VBS tonight!!

CAN YOU GUESS WHICH KID????

FUN FAMILY GAME... QUIDDLER

2010-06-08T20:49:00.001-07:00

Ok.. so I had to BLOG about this FUN FAMILY GAME.. QUIDDLER

My sister and her husband introduced this to us in January and we just love it. It is a $10 card game that is so much fun. I love it because whether you are 6 and just learning to spell or 86 you can play the game. Not just play but possibly even win. I cannot tell you how many times my 6 year old has beaten me. Even better than that... I have actually beaten my husband. :) Makes me sooo happy!!

As a home school mom I love it because the kids not only get their spelling from it but their math practice as well. I make them try to spell all the words themselves before helping. Then once they have gone out they have to add up all of their own points. Voila.. Spelling and Math practice in a single game.

I also love it because the kids learn soooo many new words. Because they are playing with adults they will learn words and meanings that they would not normally at their age pick up. I was playing with Maddie my 6 year old this spring and she said " I think I have the word EERIE..sure enough she had it in her hand.. She had remembered it from her Uncle Ben who used it in January. Gotta love that!!

I know you can order this online. I found it at a craft store in their game section!! What is your familys favorite game???

Providence Canyon

2010-06-06T19:35:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday the kids and I headed to Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, Georgia. It is known as Georgia's Little Grand Canyon. Definitely a cool place to see!!

We arrived midday so it was pretty hot. We hiked the .25 miles to the first flat spot in the canyon. From here you can take trails that lead to the other canyons. There are 16 canyons in all. The canyons cover around 300 acres and the park is around 1,100 acres. We decided not to hike any further as we were in flip flops, had no water, and it was in the heat of the day. Call me crazy but I thought it was best to head back up, grab some water and a picnic and see the views from the top.

There are many views of the canyons without hiking down into them. We found the best views to be all along the picnic areas. You can walk around and there are little alcoves to stand and see the view. The kids thought it was beautiful. While you cannot see down into the full depth of the canyons due to Kudzu and trees it is still an amazing site to see. The colors are gorgeous..they say there are 43 different colors of sand.

I am glad that we experienced Georgia's Little Grand Canyon. Truly one of Georgia's Natural Wonders!! :)

Little White House .. Warm Springs GA

2010-06-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

As part of our Natural Wonder Field Trip Tour, the Greeneteam and I visited The Little White House in Warm Springs, GA. I have to say this was the best part of seeing the Warm Springs Natural Wonder. The Museum was really great. We started the tour with a timeline of FDR'S life and then watched a 15 minute movie about FDR and his life at The Little White House. We all enjoyed the museum, the movie and all of the memorabilia. After the Museum we walked the grounds, sat by the fountain, visited the servants quarters and then lastly visited the Little White House. (seen in the picture above). The kids thought it was cool to be in a "presidents house" even if it was just his vacation home.

If you make a trip to see the Warm Springs I would highly reccomend you start with The Little White House. With admission they give you a pass to head over to the Spring Pools and Museum. Tickets are just $4 for kids and $8 for adults. Ticket price includes both museums, the Little White House and the Warm Spring Pools. While this "WONDER" did not have the "WOW" factor of the other wonders it was by far the most educational of all the Wonders. :) Gotta love that!!!

WARM SPRINGS.. Our 4th Natural Wonder of Georgia.

2010-06-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Greeneteam and I headed to see our 4th Natural Wonder, The Warm Springs. I have to say I was a TINY bit disappointed in the Springs portion of the Wonder.. I guess I just thought it would have more of a WOW factor. Does that make sense?? All the pools were empty and there was just a small tub for the kids to put there hands in. ( They do open the pools twice a year.. Memorial and Labor Day for people to swim. Tickets can be purchased in advance but I believe it is pretty pricey??) I kept asking people if I was missing something as I did not want to leave without making sure we had seen the wonder.

The museum that housed the Warm Spring Pools was just OK. Had it not been for the Little White House tour that we did prior I would have been really disappointed. The Little White House saved the wonder in my opinion. Just my 2 cents..:) Have you been?? What did you think? I will post about The Little White House and FDR State Park in future posts..:)

Noah's Ark ...Locust Grove, Georgia

2010-06-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

The kids and I headed to Noah's Ark Animal Rehab Center in Locust Grove today for a Mystery field trip/ Mini vacation. I have read wonderful reviews about it and have wanted to go for some time.

I have to say we had a great time and it was so worth the ticket price...FREE!!!! That's right it is FREEEEEE!!!!

The kids and I arrived around 10:30. We signed in and saw some pretty cool snakes in the lobby. After that, we ran to see the BISON, DEER, EMU, and BIRDS as they are all available to see before the center opens. We then had time to grab our picnic, eat lunch, and visit the restroom before they opened the gates at 12 noon. The center's hours are 12-3.

Once in the gate we saw an Ostrich, Zebra, Parrots, Wolves, Lion, Tiger, Bears, Primates, Leopards, Lamas, Deer, and Peacocks. Sometimes the animals were a little hard to see, but most of them were within sight distance. The lamas, and the deer were wandering free which was really neat. The kids have never been that close to animals like that before. The kids loved reading all the information about each animal. It was very much like going to the zoo.

We had one small hangup which was a huge rain shower. It was funny because the Lamas took off running and we decided to follow them. The lamas and the Greeneteam were all hiding under the tree together. Oh how I would have loved to have a picture of that!! :)

Along the way we met Ms. Agnes an 80 year old lady whose daughter owns the center. She was travelling around in a golf cart visiting everyone with her collie dog Savannah. The kids loved both Ms. Agnes and her dog. She let us know about the Alligator bridge and the tortoise's.

Once we recouped from the rain shower we headed to see the Alligators. We only saw one while we were standing on the bridge but it was pretty cool to see him come up out of the water. It was also kind of fun to wonder how many more were hiding under us. We then headed to see the tortoise's.

All in all it was a fun place and for FREE, well it was fabulous. They do ACCEPT and NEED donations which of course we made while we were there. I would highly reccomend this as a family friendly destination. It does get hot from 12-3 so just come prepared. Sunscreen, bug spray, sun hats, water bottles, and well even an UMBRELLA..:)

If you head that direction let me know what you think. The Greeneteam gives it 2 thumbs up!!

Mama's Famous "Egg Sammies"

2010-05-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today when Maddie and I were shopping for groceries to go on our trip she asked me if I had the ingredients to make my moms famous egg sandwiches. I thought I would share this with you as it has been a tradition for the last 45 years or more in my family.

I am not sure how far back these originate or if my mom invented them but they sure are wonderful. Above is a picture of your ingredients. Below the secret to my moms famous "egg sammies".

Ingredients:

White bread ,
Hellmans Mayo
eggs fried hard to perfection
salt and pepper to taste
saran wrap

This is a very simple recipe with very little instruction needed. Begin by frying your eggs hard. 1 fried egg per sandwich. While the eggs are cooking have your bread laying on the piece of saran wrap ,with the mayonaise already on the bread. Once the egg is done place it on the bread and then WRAP them while they are fresh and hot..(This is the key to the sandwich ..wrapping while it is hot.) I then let them cool before placing them in the fridge/cooler.

They are perfect for travelling and you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I have to say usually in our car they do not make it to lunchtime!! Enjoy

2010-05-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

One of the Greeneteams favorite places to go for Pizza is Stevie B'S. They have a huge variety of pizza, a great salad bar, and penne noodles with marinara or alfredo sauce. They offer a few unique ones that I haven't seen at other pizza places. One of my favorites a BLT pizza. While I rarely see it on the pizza buffet you can ask for it, or any other special order when you walk in the door. They will bring as many pieces as you want within about 10 minutes of your arrival.

The Greeneteam also loves that they have a gameroom, and have ice cream included with their dessert pizzas. Each month they offer different nights that have a special. Our favorite is Sunday nights where kids eat for just 99 cents!!

The Joys of Summer!!

2010-05-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

Summertime has arrived in North Georgia. This weekend we made our first family trip to the pool, shopped for a few needed (aka wanted and had giftcards) summer accessories, and hosted a family BBQ.

I love that my kids get excited over a new beach towel, water shooters for the pool, new baskets for their bicycles, a box of popsicles and the first summer watermelon. Oh to be a kid again!!

One of my favorite Summer BBQ'S......

*BBQ Ribs
Grilled Chicken
Texas Toast
Corn on the Cob
Coleslaw
Fried Potatoes
Watermelon

* If you do not have a favorite BBQ Sauce. You should try Sweet Baby Rays Vidalia Onion Sauce. Yummy!

World Turtle Day

2010-05-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today is World Turtle Day. The kids and I celebrated by attending the World Turtle Day Celebration at our local Environmental Center. It was fun. They had crafts, Storytime, and a small showroom of Turtles from around the world.

I thought the Spiny turtle was pretty cool, and the really large turtle pictured is a BABY. He will grow to be 600 pounds. I never really thought about a Turtle being a pet but the man that owns him has 10 Turtles that live in his backyard when there is good weather and in a special heated room in his basement when the weather is bad. The closeup of the small turtle with yellow is Georgia's Native turtle. I am glad that we headed out yesterday to see the turtles it was fun and educational!!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!

2010-05-21T21:13:00.001-07:00

It seems we have another rainy weekend here in GA. I don't mind the rain most of the time. However, there are times when I have plans and want to get things done and soooo don't want the rain to spoil my fun.

This is one of those weekends. Tomorrow we want to have a garage sale in the AM and then in the afternoon we have family coming over for a good ole Southern BBQ. So this weekend I say

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY!!

In the meantime enjoy these two cute pics of my girls trying out their umbrellas. They think an umbrella is the coolest thing ever. They can't wait to pull them out at the first sight of rain.

Hoping it is sunny where you are.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Delaware's PEACH CRISP RECIPE

2010-05-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

The kids and I have started a new Summer /Fall Geography/Cooking curriculum. We are studying the U.S. and, I thought it would be a little more fun if we had a hands on approach to it. When I saw the Cookbook below at the HS FAIR I knew immediately that it was what I wanted. Kind of a "taste buds approach to Geography." Today we made our first recipe honoring the State of Delaware.

EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH THE USA..

by Loree Pettit.

The kids are so excited about cooking and the recipes, that they are sneaking the book to see which state is going to come next. Gotta love that.

Peach Crisp

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

4 cups sliced peaches (fresh is best)

1 T lemon juice

2 T water

1. Combine flour, sugars,salt, and cinnamon; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until crumbly.

2. Combine peaches, lemon juice, and water. Spoon into an 8 inch square pan.

3. Sprinkle crumb mixture over peaches.

4. Bake at 350* for 1 hour.

Our review: DELICIOUS!! Very rich so start small. :) We topped ours with vanilla ice cream which made it extra yummy. I would start off with a small scoop of the crisp top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy.

BABY TEETH

2010-05-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today my Maddie lost her first and second baby teeth. ( True 2 in one day) Sad for me in so many ways. I know that it just means she is growing up but it is hard for this mama to really believe. I love having a "baby". Once they start losing teeth are they still babies?? Here she is before she lost her first tooth. She is pointing to the first loose tooth (for her Dee Dee) The next picture is her missing them both and the last is her NOTE to the Tooth Fairy. She is quite certain that the tooth Fairy will be leaving something extra special since she lost not one but TWO today!! What does the Tooth Fairy leave at your house???

FUN TRAIN

2010-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

The FUN TRAIN is an idea I came up with a few years ago. I believe it began because I was in a bad mood and needed to get out of the house. I told the kids to hurry and get ready because we were going to go have some fun and the train was leaving in 5 minutes. At the time I remember just wanting to get out of the house. Sometimes just doing that will improve everyones moods and attitudes. As it turned out that day we went to 3 different places. I cannot remember where exactly we went that first time but I remember the kids loving it and deciding that the FUN TRAIN was a new favorite activity.

Since that first time it has turned into something that we do probably once a month. I will just announce that the FUN TRAIN is leaving in 5 minutes. They quickly get ready now and can't wait to see where the train takes them.

Rules

Only the conductor knows where the train is going

There are always 3 stops that the FUN TRAIN makes.

I can honestly tell you that most of the time I don't know where we are going. I make it up as we are on the road and as the budget is permitting. Today, for example I was going to just take them on an outing to The Greek Festival. When that didn't turn out nearly as fun as I imagined I said "who is ready to head on stop 2 of the Fun train?" We left the festival, headed for Coldstone to get Ice Cream, and then headed to the $1 movies.

Below are some of the FUN places we have gone over the years. Let me know where the FUN TRAIN takes you this summer.

Park

Feed the Ducks

Ice Cream

Lunch or Dinner out

Donut Shop

Toy Store for a new family game

Bookstore

Pet Store

Movies

Dollar Tree (Every one gets to pick one item)

Steak and Shake for 1/2 price Happy hour on Shakes

Thrift Store ( I let everyone pick out a new book)

Grocery Store ( I usually let them pick out a special treat or item to have for dinner)

Swimming

Spray Park

Gas Station: I let them get 50cent bags of gummi candy

Christmas Lights

Beach

Wendy's for Frostys

Mcdonalds to get an apple pie or Sundae.

INK

Inside playland at the Mall

Garage Sales