Chloe's Alphabet Party!

Last week we celebrated Chloe finishing some preschool curriculum that we've been doing at home. Grandma & Grandpa & Great Grandma & Grandpa came over and we had a lot of fun. Both kids got a few gifts (Caleb was celebrated too because he was such a good little helper and usually wanted to participate too!) The curriculum that I used was free (which is always helpful!) and can be found at http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html
Chloe loved that we had a different "theme" every week!!

Chloe showed off some of her artwork and the letters that she has been learning.

Here she shows her last letter...the letter Z!!

We had alphabet pasta and alphabet cookies to eat (well, we also had a lot of pickles, hamburgers and beans too:). Of course the kiddos LOVED the cookies (ok, we all did!!). They were incredibly easy and VERY good so I thought I'd include the recipe. These cookies could be used for just about anything (I put letters and numbers on top but you could do whatever you want!). The recipe is from the April edition of Parents magazine...

Cake-Mix Cookies
1 box (18.25oz) yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
Sprinkles
Frosting (can make your own or buy the canned stuff)

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the cake mix, egg, oil, and buttermilk in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Shape 1 inch mounds of batter into balls and flatten slightly Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Top with sprinkles (optional). Bake until cookies are golden and firm, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Frost as desired. (Can make the cookies into sandwich cookies if you want and sandwich the cookies together with frosting)

Caleb's First...

In the past week Caleb has had 4 new "firsts". Here they are in order of occurrence...

1. Requested Daddy put him to bed instead of Mommy.
2. Rode his tricycle...actually pedaling forward and backward!
3. Said "Chloe".
4. Picked his nose and ate it.

Note: I was so grossed out by #4 I'm sure he'll do it again soon...

Chloe's Latest Quotes

I know everyone thinks their own kids say the cutest things, but since this is my blog I guess I can say what I want...Chloe says the cutest things!!! Here are a few of her latest...

~(In a talk about who her friends are) "I need friends who understand me."

~(To a tune that was completely made up by Chloe) "I love Daddy because he has a strawberry nose!"

~(As we are approaching a bulldozer working on the marina...she is in the stroller...she asks this repeatedly) "Mommy, what are the safety rules here??"

~(After I tell her that I'm exhausted) Chloe: "Why?" Me: "The baby is making me tired." Chloe: "Just put that baby down for a nap Mommy!"

~(Last night when Kyle was out working on the trimmer around 9pm) "Mommy, go get daddy and make him come inside. The raccoons are coming out." Me: "Why do you think that?" Chloe: "The skunks are coming out too. I learned that from Curious George."

Water

There is only one thing to do when the temps get this high in mid-May...bring on the water! Here is our intense "To-Do" list these past few days...


1. Wash the boat.


2. Sweep the driveway.

3. Have a blast in the pool.

4. Water the cement, rocks, grass, and Mommy.

5. Invite friends over.

6. Invite friends out on the boat.

7. Eat Oreos on the boat.

9. Drive the boat without ANY help!!

Tulip Time Through The Eyes Of My Children!

Who knows what children are actually thinking, but these might be some of the thoughts that went through their heads the past few days at Tulip Time!!!

If I give Grandpa lots of hugs maybe he'll give me money so I can go down that big slide I saw in the park...


It worked! Wow, this is fast!


Caleb will definitely need a little push from me to help him down this slide...

Great Grandpa is awesome...


This parade is amazing...loud but amazing...

I am totally sleep deprived and I couldn't be having more fun!

I knew it! If I stand in front of Miss Beth long enough she will share her food!

Can I fit this whole hot dog in my mouth right now??

I can't believe a real fire truck is so LOUD!

Dancing on the street to the marching bands is definitely on my list of favorite things to do...

Tractors...SWEET!

We will stay seated in these chairs for the whole parade just so that Corrina and Jordyn do not take our seats...

Cotton candy IS as good as it looks!

It's pretty fun getting dressed as Dutch kids...what is Dutch anyways?!?

"Cheese"

I know I'm cute...that lady over there just said so...

These tulips would be really fun to destroy...


I don't really know the point of Mother's Day and all of these pictures but I'm sure glad that Daddy let me buy some M&Ms for Mommy!

Klompen Classic 2011

It was a beautiful night for running at this year's Klompen!! I'm so proud of all 3 of my runners! Kyle is the first orange shirt here...he finished with his fastest 5K ever in a time of 20:45!! That's pretty good for someone his age!! (I have to make fun of him because he made himself older than what he really is on his entry form...I guess when you get this age you tend to be forgetful!!)

Here is fast little Caleb...Daddy ran with him in the Kid's Klompen Classic. Unfortunately I don't have pics of him running because I missed the WHOLE thing trying to find Chloe at the finish line!! I couldn't believe he was already done! He ran the full two blocks!!


Chloe getting ready to run!


Chloe took off slow but she made up ground quickly! After the race I told her how well I thought
she did and she said, "But Mommy, there were a lot of girls in front of me!" And then she asked me when the next race is...she is indeed my girl!!

Chloe is displaying her ribbon. I think she was more pumped about her popsicle at the finish line than her ribbon!

Bring on the park!

It's amazing what 6 months can do...we took advantage of this gorgeous weather and went to the park the other night. Chloe is now pumped to go down the "big" slides. Last year she was petrified of them!! Caleb can actually go down the slides without a hand...hooray!!!