Let’s Play Ball.

This has become one of Bailey’s new favorite things to do outside.  We still don’t really know what hand she is because if she misses one way, she just swings back at it the other way.  Usually she doesn’t even look at the ball.  It is pretty funny.  I mean, look at her hands!  Clearly, BJ has come coaching to do.

Thanks Uncle Pat and Aunt Denise for the gift!  She looks like Prince Fielder to me!

Let’s go camping!

We are leaving tomorrow for a weekend in the mountains so this week Bailey and I have done a few things to get ready….

On Monday we went to the Sandhills Children’s garden where there is a trail through the forest that we hiked.  Here she is leading the way.  Bailey’s favorite part was throwing pine cones into the stream and seeing a baby frog.  She tried her best to catch it!

We also made binoculars and then went outside to see if we could spot anything cool.  We saw a bird in the tree AND Daddy driving home!

We also collected and painted some rocks!  Bailey is real funny about paint.  She is all about mixing it with her paint brush but REFUSES to touch it with her hand!

Lastly, no hiking week is complete without a tent!  We set up our small one in the bedroom for an afternoon tea/slumber party.  The weather this week is HOT with afternoon thunderstorms every day – otherwise I would have done this outside. 

I doubt BJ looks forward to finding out what crazy shenanigans I am going to put him through each day he comes home from work!  He is always a good sport!

I better go get packing!

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Oatmeal bars…

Long name, but YUM.

Mix:

• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp water
• (I also added some cinnamon – didn’t measure, just sprinkled a good bit in!)

In a separate bowl mix:

• 1½ cup flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ cup oats
• Add to top bowl. Bake 350 for 25-28 minutes. Let cool.

Topping:

• 1 bag butterscotch chips
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• Once bars are cool, microwave topping 30 seconds and stir. Microwave additionally if needed.
• Pour over bars. (I had to refrigerate to get the top to harden).

YUMMY.

Fish and Turtles!

Last week Bailey and I did lots of things having to do with fish and turtles.  I wasn’t very good at taking pictures, so I just went back and snapped a few to remember the things we made.  I guess I was busy having fun too!

We made paper plate turtle shakers (I put rice inside the two paper plates).  I added a string so Bailey could pull it around the house.

We read the book The Rainbow Fish and then made our own fish.  We actually made these at the end of last week so they were ready for Father’s Day.  However we got it back out as we were reading the book this week.

This was the snack of the week.  We crushed up graham crackers and put them in the bottom of the cup as sand.  Then I used blue food coloring to make some vanilla yogurt look like water.  And no water snack would be complete without fish!  (Sorry for the yellow photo, it was the only one Bailey was actually looking at the camera.)

Some other things we did:

• Watched Finding Nemo about 1,000 times– is it bad that Bailey can and does recite lines as she watches?  She LOVES it. 
• Went to the zoo – Bailey loves the aquarium part!
• Colored fish and turtles printed on computer paper
• Walked back to the lake by our house.  Bailey likes to collect rocks along the way to throw in it when we get there.
• Read other books from the library on Ocean life.

Bible Verse of the Week

James 1:19-20 (NIV)

Listening and Doing

¹⁹…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

BARRY…a tropical storm

It isn’t every day you have a tropical storm named after you!  This one doesn’t seem so big and bad, but still cool.  When is it going to be Lindsay?


 Tropical Storm Barry is moving westward across the Bay of Campeche (southwestern Gulf of Mexico). Barry is the second tropical storm of the 2013 hurricane season.  Significant strengthening is not expected before the center of Barry moves back into Mexico, most likely over the state of Veracruz early Thursday.  A tropical storm warning is in effect for areas near Veracruz, Mexico. Heavy rain, flooding and possible mudslides will be the main threats from Barry.  Barry is not a threat to the United States. (The Weather Channel)
 

Bible Verse of the Week…

Psalm 103:13 (NIV)

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; Happy Father’s Day!

I want go TUUUBIN’…

…so we did, and she LOVED it.

Getting ready with Daddy.

Doing tricks, look No Hands!

Riding with Mommy.

This place is SO much fun!

Spa week!

Summer started off with a bang as we decided to potty train last Saturday.  To go along with our potty festivities I decided to do to a theme of the week – THE SPA!  Bailey and I did a few things to make it seem like we were living it up….at home. (We didn’t venture out until yesterday.  I think those four days were the longest either of us has stayed home, EVER!)  However, I am proud to say no accidents the last TWO days!  I know we are not totally in the clear, but we are making progress=). 

Early on, last Saturday.  That paper was covered in stickers by the end of the day!  We gave her so much juice she went to the bathroom 12 times!

A green toenail polish pedicure.  Isn’t that the color you would choose?  That’s Bailey’s top choice!

Bailey was very serious about her shaving cream drawings.  We had flowers, trains and all sorts of things on the mirror.  Unfortunately, this was not as easy to clean off as I had anticipated. =(

Bailey is laid back in her water table – why would you want to be in the plastic pool when you could squeeze yourself into the water table?  The last two days the “feels-like” temperature has been in the 100’s.  Welcome Summer!  We relaxed in the water both afternoons.

No spa experience is complete without cucumber masks!  I showed Bailey a couple pictures online so she had an idea of what we were about to do.  We decided to start with her doll and she still was real uneasy about it.  However, when it came to putting it on my face, she was all about it!  hum.  She wouldn’t lay still for me to take a good photo of her.  But she did lay down and let me put some on her, didn’t really like it with the cucumbers.  However, afterward she kept saying, “Cucumbers on eyes.”

Our recipe:

• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• Mix in the blender and apply.
• (Next time I would use less cucumber to yogurt so it would be a little thicker.)

Bible Verse of the Week

Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)

² Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”

Warning, Prices Increase!

The last time we were out at the lake there was a new sign posted on the refrigerator…

…do they really think this is going to stop us from coming (and drinking and eating all their food)??? 

Dinner last night

Last night to celebrate the last day of school we went to Hu Hot (a Mongolian BBQ place where you get your food and then they cook it on the big grill).  Actually, we had a buy one, get one free coupon – but anyway this is what happened…

Bailey eating noodles.

Popsicle break with Daddy.

And the sugar kicks in…

Bible Verse of the Week

Hebrews 12:1-2 (HCSB)

… let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.