Happy Leap Day

Today is Leap Day and I thought I would make a special treat for Emma's 3rd grade class since there are 29 days this month.  So I "borrowed" this from another blogger and loved it!  Easy Frog Cookies...no baking required...

Need:
Package or 2 of mint Oreo cookies
Bag of small pretzels
Bag of green M & M's
Peanut butter or cake icing

Make:
Just use the "glue" (peanut butter or icing) to place the pretzels on the bottom of the cookie.  Then "glue" on the green M & M eyes.  Done!

Since St. Patty's Day is close, I was able to find mint Oreo's.  However, I missed the boat and should have gotten some Christmas M & M's on clearance after the holidays so I had to purchase regular M & M's which do not have many green ones.  Currently they have different kinds of M & M's with coconut, peanut butter, pretzel, peanut and speckled for Easter.  I just chose regular since I was not sure the Emma's classmates would eat the other kinds.  However, my kids eat anything chocolate!

Happy Leap Day!

My Little Magician

Ethan had a magic show with his preschool class.  Here are a couple of pics of him getting ready for his Pepper Trick.  It is a cup of water with pepper.  He asks his assistant (me) to try to separate the pepper with your finger.  When I cannot, he waves his magic want, says "Abracadabra!"  Then he places his finger in the water and the pepper separates!  It's magic...well to a 4 year old at least!  The trick is that he has soap on his fingers. Each child had a different trick and all were very cute!  They made their own magic wands and magic capes!


Here is Ethan  posing for me with his wand and cape:

Here is Ethan doing another trick at home with disappearing a penny.  (He really just like placing the towel over the cup and trying to hide the penny without me looking.)  I know...humor me...I'm a mom!

Happy Valentine's Day & Pics of Emma's Dance Costumes

Hope everyone had a great day!  Ethan had his party at preschool and Emma had her party last week.  That evening Emma had dance pictures so Ethan and I were at the studio for over 2 hours getting her in her costumes with hair and make-up.  We ended up eating McDonald's before she had to go back again for 30 minutes after dinner.  Thank goodness Erik and I had our early Valentine's dinner last weekend!

Here are a few pics I took of Emma before her professional dance pics were taken this week.  I only got 2 out of the 4 costumes since we did not have enough time.

Saying Goodbye...

It is never easy losing a family member or friend.  Last week my family lost a very special man...my cousin.  Mike was put to rest today.  My family is grieving over losing him at only 41 years of age.  At first I felt that life is so unfair sometimes and question why God had to take him so early?  He has a daughter that now does not have her father.  A mother and father that does not have their son.  A brother and a sister and that does not have their sibling.  Why now?  I know that God has a reason that Mike needs to be with Him.  I also know that everyday is a blessing and we should never take that for granted.  Live everyday to the fullest because tomorrow is never promised.  Michael West...we love you, we will miss you, but you will always be in our hearts.

Happy Early Valentine's Day!

I am posting a picture of the kids in the Valentine clothes.  Emma has her 3rd grade party today in which I am the party coordinator (lucky me) and I just put Ethan in his cute clothes for pics!  I will say this year has been extremely easy with the parties.  I have a ton of parents that volunteer to come and help me and bring the items.  I love when that happens!  Not sure what I am going to do when I have 2 kids at the same school and want to be there for both of them??  Well wish me luck with 25 3rd graders who will be all hyped up on sugar this afternoon...of course I have found the last 2 years that musical chairs really works and keeps them from bouncing off the walls!

Then Erik and I are going to have an early Valentine's dinner since my Mother-in-Law is coming over to watch Ethan for me while I am at Emma's party.  We cannot go to dinner on Valentine's Day since Emma has dance that night and she has pictures.  Finally a date night...it will be nice since we have had a long week!

Treadmill Delivery Day

Erik and I decided that we were going to shed some pounds and get into shape for 2012.  Simple enough??  Yeah right?  Erik will be the big 4-0 this year and I will be 39.  I have gained some weight with 2 kids and I would really like to be my "high school skinny" but I am settling for 10-15 pounds.  Just to get some normal abs would be a start.  So it is sitting in the garage and I will help Erik get it in the basement and he will assemble it.  I, of course, will NOT help.  I hate putting this stuff together as does he, but he is the dude for the job.  Hopefully within a week, it will be ready to use and for me to hate running again!