Friday, January 13, 2012

A Rough Night, Treats for Daddy & A Special Ingredient

Yes, it was a rough night last night! Parker was up from midnight-ish to 2:30pm, with Bryan making a run to Walmart (Target should be open 24/7!!!) in the midst of it all. We are a little tired today and a bit sad since we missed yet another playdate with some friends. Since our schedule is all jacked up, we decided to make some cookies for Daddy. This took up an hour of time between lunch and naptime:
We tried out a new recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies that has a special ingredient, cornstarch (excuse the dishes...):
All ready to go in the oven:
Please hurry up cookies, I need to eat one of you before my naptime comes:

Second round, can you tell which ones Parker made, as he is trying to say that he made the ball-shaped ones:
As most of you know, I don't really have a sweet tooth and am not a chocolate chip cookie connoisseur but these cookies are, well, look:




....beautiful and fluffy and chewy and not too sweet! You gotta try them. Parker thinks dipping them in milk is the best (I wonder who taught him that!):

Here is the recipe: http://kelseysappleaday.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-ever-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Photo of the Day #10: Splashing in the Puddles


Don't Do THIS!!!

Supermom here thought it would be a good idea to paint with ice cubes after nap today. However, I went a little overboard with the food coloring and, well, you can see for yourself:





We made some pretty artwork that he was excited to show Bryan but he went to bed with blue and green hands....

At least we had fun, right??!!

Playing in the Water & Making Bubbles

Remember this activity from the summer? Well, since my boy is home today and it is cold and rainy out, I lined up several fun activities for today!


Did you know that using a whisk in soapy water can make even more soapier (if that is a word) water?!?

Monday, January 9, 2012

Photo of the Day #9: A Little Bedtime Fun

CDC: Polar Bears & Snowflakes

Here are the lovely pieces of artwork that Parker brought home today from school. The polar bear was painted with shaving cream and glue and remains textured and puffy. The snowflake painting was done using stamps.

When I picked him up this afternoon, he was playing with some blocks that they had used to build the bear a house. So, we had to come home and get some old blocks out so that he could continue with the building fun.

One of the songs that he is enjoying at school is the "We Go Marching" song where the kids march around and then have to stop when the song says stop. He also loves listening to the "Ants Go Marching In" song in the car. I think there is a trend here...

You're Going to Just Have to Listen....

My first Monday alone....in a long time! The house is quiet except for the jeans clanking in the dryer and the rain hitting the roof. Parker is at school today which begins our two-day school schedule and I am missing my boy :( You see, by mid-week I am ready for a couple hours on my own but starting the week off alone is something I will have to get use to. Until that time comes, you will just have to listen to my sad posts every Monday.....

Friday, January 6, 2012

Photo of the Day #6: Enjoying a Christmas Present :)



Oh Yes, Arboretum Weather in January!

I had a doctor's appointment mid-morning so Bryan met me there and took Parker to lunch. Once I was done, I treated Parker to some fun at the Arboretum. I gave him the choice of going to the Zoo or Arboretum and he picked the Arboretum. The high today was suppose to be 75 so either place would have been perfect :) We also needed to skip naptime so that we can get back on some kind of sleep schedule. Because we got there close to 1pm, there were not many people there at all. It didn't stop the fun though!

Jumping over the water canal (and yes, he did miss one time and his left leg got a little wet):
Checking on the fish:

A rare still moment, resting before a run (and tumble) down the hill:

Run FIVE down the hill (that is White Rock Lake in the background):

I hesitate posting this picture because if he gets sick, I will feel terrible! The toad fountain is a fun place to cool off:

Between the muddy shoes, wet shirt and grass-stained pants, Parker was wearing only a diaper by the time we arrived back home. It was a fun treat to have such a beautiful day in January!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Frisco Square & Ice Skating

Frisco Square always has everything lit up for Christmas and even a week or so into the New Year. Last year we went on Christmas night because they have synchronized lights with music and a {fake} snowfall. I had big plans on going Tuesday night but with a toddler not napping, it just wasn't in the cards. We tried again tonight and were successful!

Cake balls at Dimples first (a pink one requested by Parker):

We sampled some popcorn at Poparella's, which wasn't that great! Then the boys decided they wanted to try ice skating. We were a little hesitant but.....





It didn't last long. Parker only got on the ice twice and because Bryan wasn't that steady, it was like the blind leading the blind :) However, all was not lost. Bryan skated for about 30 minutes, while Parker sat on the side watching and eating the ice.

Overall, it was a fun way to spend a Thursday night! The lights were cool and Parker did get to see {fake} snow falling from the sky. Good times!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Photo of the Day #4: An Apple a Day...

CDC: Ice & Snowmen


Parker's first day back at school consisted of ice, snow and glitter. Ms. Susan brought a block of ice and let the kids touch and feel it. She also shaved some ice afterwards and the kids ate it for snack (along with some other items). But Parker's favorite part of the day was the glitter. He giggled like a girl when I asked him about it. I am not sure if he was being mischievous or what but it made him all giddy inside.


When I picked him up this afternoon, he showed me how good he is getting at drinking from the water fountain. He is sure not to touch the fountain with his mouth but sometimes he forgets to keep pushing the button while drinking....you know, it's hard to do two things at once :) Anyway, it is really pretty cute!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Photo of the Day #1: New Technology



Dippin' Our Way Into 2012

Last night we had reservations at Simply Fondue in Dallas. Bryan and I love fondue but have never exposed Parker to it. With a fascination with dipping, I figured he would love it and it would be a real treat. It was an enjoyable experience and Parker says his favorite part was "dippin' the chocolate".

Since it was NYE, there was a preset menu and they made the evening very special. The first course was cheese fondue, bread, veggies and fruit:
The second course was the meat, which was accompanied by several different sauces and batters. You could dip your pork, chicken, beef, seafood and potatoes in the batter (or not) and then fry it in the oil. Bryan loved this part but Parker and I could have done without it :)

And the third and final course, which was the best, was the milk chocolate fondue. If we were at home, I would have licked the entire bowl but because we were in public, I had to use the "dippers" that were provided:

A little roasted marshmallows before we got started:

Then it was on! Oh, and did I mention that they would bring you a refill on all the dippers you wanted?!? That was an important detail that should NOT be left out ;)
Our NYE dinner was fun and we would consider doing it again on a special occasion. However, I would not recommend this for a casual dinner out with a toddler :)