Today we will celebrate our cousin Mason's First birthday!

We hope you have a super time at your Chunky Monkey birthday!

Yesterday we had pictures made with all 3 kiddos! I always go in as prepared as I can for situations like this. Josie isn't the best at new situations, so I try to prepare the camera man and I always ask for another helper to help make her laugh, and I try to remember to pack the bag with as many things that I know of that will make her laugh.. balls, pompoms, etc... and of course I try to pack "baby" just in case we need it. Don't forget about the snacks for bribery and colors and a coloring book to work in after we're done and mom is picking out pictures so that we won't have a repeat of Christmas Pictures 08 when Josie LOCKED herself into the dressing room. So I get there and have my guns loaded.... and who was the problem.......????LUCY! the giggliest baby that I know... cried. And cried. The photographer went to take the very first shot of the day and pretended to sneeze to make Josie laugh and threw this little stuffed animal... and when he did, it scared Lucy and she never did come back to her giggly self. We got some good shots at the end when Jack made her laugh, but that was it... most of them, she has this look like "what the *&^%$" looking at the photographer. It's nice! also, it didn't help that he refused to call Jack by his name and insisted on calling him Jackson even after I corrected him. I guess he thought he was in charge. Then to top it off.. he told Jack... don't touch the ball again. I don't want it in my shot. OH NO HE DIDN'T!.. I will tell you that I withheld from pulling what my husband refers to as "A Jennifer" and going off on the guy that was about 18... because I had 3 kids there in front of me that I'm trying to teach respect to, so I tried to remember to be graceful and show responsibility, but it was tough. As soon as I get to a computer that has a disc drive that actually works... since mine in permanently sticking out, I will post some of the shots.

Cracker Toffee

Cracker Toffee

1 cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp of salt.. and boil for 3 min on med heat

pour over 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers flat on a baking sheet

heat on 350 for about 5-7 minutes

cover with a package of chocolate chips and chopped pecans let melt and come to room temp.

put in fridge for 2 hours.. and enjoy! YUM Jack!

Lunch Time Pizza Rollers :(

Well lunch time was like fire and ice today... fun, fun, fun to make... but then not fun to eat! take a look at the pics and I'm sure you'll see why. To our defense... I believe the temp in the cookbook was listed wrong because the insides were still cool. YUCK

Mexi-Tortilla Chip Casserole

Before.........................and After

Tonight for dinner we made this... it's with nacho cheese Doritos so, we loved it, but, of course Josie loved it most. If you are someone that knows even the tiniest bit of info about Josie, you will know about her love for 'dip-dip' and 'red chips' (Doritos) . It was good! Just meat with diced tomatoes, oregano, cumin, salt & pepper and a little garlic salt. Topped with a layer of cheese then chips.. then baked about 20 minutes at 350. Good stuff!

Father's Day Banana Split Shake, by JackKid's Cooking Week at the Macdonald's House!

You know how people will give your kids cookbooks for kids thinking that it will be so much fun for them, but you as the mom just think.. "great! another book of pictures of things that we can never make that he can torture me by asking a thousand times ..please mom, please!" We never have the ingredients and time, and I always get hit with.."why can't we just go buy it!" at 9:30 at night...! So this summer in my "SUMMER 09: I WILL SAY YES MORE OFTEN" mode.. I will say yes! I heard my 8 year old get upset when my mom was over for a garage sale the other day because he had to leave for vacation bible school and he didn't want to miss my mom being there. He remembered the year before when she was there, she made a strawberry milk shake from a cook book he had with him (because of course grandmothers have all the time in the world to do those things and are willing to drop it all for a tiny child's request) I wish I was more like that. I wish he remembered me as the one that would drop it all and make things from the cookbook! All year while working and taking care of 3 kids and a house and scout and soccer and....... I think to myself 'i'm going to do that for real this summer' but then the summer comes and goes like as fast as a blink and I'm left thinking... why didn't I do that!

So this week we are having "A week of recipes" from the cooking for kids book. It's been so fun seeing them get into making their lunch and breakfast and especially dad's father's day dessert!

Here are some of the things we've done so far... stay tuned for more!

Pizza Dippin' Strips!

Josie loves the pizza!

Banana Nut Waffles with

Cinnamon Butter. what a way

to start the day Lucy approves! good waffles

Yum!

We had a garage sale today. Remind me again why we do this to ourselves?!? It was officially 197 degrees out there in Rockwall today... hey! I'm sure of it.. I was there sweating it out yelling, "it's hot!" about 200 times. Why can't I have my sale in my backyard in my awesome shade?

see! Do you think I will think it's worth it when I count the money sitting here in my pickle jar? probably not if it all fits in a pickle jar, right? I wish it was filling up a sun tea jar.. wouldn't that be a good garage sale turnout! Oh well.. I'll be thankful... it could be in an olive jar, right? Have a good rest tonight. I'm sure it will be hot again tomorrow. I know I'll sleep like a baby... until the baby wakes me up! :)