Our Inaugural Soccer Season

Jude's soccer season has officially started now that he has had two games.  He really enjoys seeing his fan base (Ryan, me, Clare, and Ellen) at his games.  And it has been a lot of fun seeing him in action.  

(He came off the field at one point during a pause in the action at Sunday's game to go to Clare for a high-five.)  

Jude isn't the star athlete on the team (considering where his athletic genes are coming from!), but he actually does pretty well as goalie.   

So far he is enjoying his soccer career...he especially loves using his RED water bottle, and he always remembers what day he has soccer practice.

"The Force is Strong with this One."

Jude recently watched all 3 original Star Wars movies and is an official Star Wars fanatic and "expert."
  

Movies currently being viewed here...

Library books currently checked out...

(The visual dictionary is especially being enjoyed.)  

In between watching it and reading about it, we are often requested to act out various Star Wars movie scenes.   

The cast of characters includes...

Jude as Luke Skywalker.

Clare as Princess Leia.

Ryan as Anikan Skywalker.

Me as Princess Padame.

Ellen...as Yoda.

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(Jude also moonlights as Han Solo, frozen in carbonite.)  

And this letter to Santa was penned yesterday...

"Dear Santa,
Please can I have a green lightsaber that glows in the dark?
And I want it green.
Can I please have that green lightsaber?
From, Jude"

May the force be with you!

Friday Foodies

I have been trying out some new (and resurrecting old favorite) recipes and we have some new winners here...

For breakfast I have been making these low sugar banana muffins and they are a hit with everyone.  I bake 2 dozen at a time because they seem to go fast around here!

I'm sure I'm not the only one that gets bored with sandwiches during the week...  I've been making a batch of black beans early in the week and enjoying them for lunch.  Lots of yumminess at noontime!      

I made this sweet and sour chicken last week and Ryan and Jude (and I) L-O-V-E-D it.  It was a bit labor-intensive, but really did taste like I treated everyone to Chinese take-out.  New special occasion favorite. 

I'm wanting to try this easy apple cake when I think fall has officially hit.  I love a 3 ingredient dessert!  Looks (easy and) delicious!

(OK, and this, too.)

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

Shabby Apple

I recently became an affiliate with the lovely Shabby Apple.  (See sidebar to the left.)  They sell women's clothing that is both modest and classic.  You can find dresses and blouses at Shabby Apple as well as maternity, swim, fitness apparel, and clothing for children.  They also sell beautiful jewelry and other accessories.  

My most favorite Shabby Apple dress in both color (purple!) and design (in love with that awesome collar!) hands down is Bali Ha'i.

I love the plum color for fall and this dress would look great for anything from Sunday brunch to an autumn wedding.

I'm excited to offer you 10% off your next order from Shabby Apple!  Simply enter this code for 10% off your sitewide order: favorite10.  **This code expires on Friday, September 14.

Happy shopping!

We Remember

Land of the free.  Because of the brave.  

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(photo credit: Thomas E. Franklin)

10 on the 10th

Hope you had a loverly weekend!  Today I'm linking with
A Bit of Sunshine for 10 photos on the 10th...

One use for lacing strings. 

Photo of Clare's silhouette.  Photo by Clare.  

Food coloring + 9x13 baking dish + water + boats

Couldn't pass up these festive plate purchases.

Self-portrait of her eyes.

Our Star Wars adventure has officially begun.

Lots o' love. 

Ellen made spaghetti for dinner.

Saw the weiner mobile!  

Where you eat breakfast when the neighbors are getting a new roof.

Happy Monday!

Ways to Help Preschoolers Build Hand Muscles

Jude will be in kindergarten next year.  (Yikes!)  His pencil grip needs some work and to help him develop the muscles in his hand to make writing easier, I've researched some ways to help him do so...

1. Find beads in playdough or silly putty.  I "hide" a certain number of beads in playdough and let him search for them.  He especially likes it if I put in a special gold bead for him to find.

2. Carry tote bags.  We like filling our reusable grocery bags with cardboard blocks or large balls and carrying them around.

3. Use a spray bottle.  My kids love playing with spray bottles.  From helping clean the bathrooms to "watering" the flowers outside, a $1 spray bottle is a great investment!

4.  Use scissors.  Jude likes to cut playdough "snakes" and junk mail.

5.  Play with sponges.  We fill our outdoor water table with soapy water and sponges (also a Dollar Tree investment) and have fun squeezing bubbly water out of the sponges.

6.  Use clothespins.  Jude likes to clip a bunch of clothespins on pipe cleaners.  But they could pretty much be stuck on anything!  (Yes, he's a leftie....Aunt Margaret needs to come in town when it's time to learn to tie shoes!)

7.  Open jars.  I have several old spice jars that I have washed out that the kids like to play with.  The lids on them are the perfect size for small hands.    

And that's about as homeschool-saavy as I get.  Hoping this helps him and we are soon writing our name like a pro!

Happy Friday!

Go visit Jen for more Quickies!  

1st Day of Pre-K!

Jude was very eager to head off to pre-k this week!  He has been ready to start school since Clare started 3 weeks ago.  His teacher noted that he was cooperative, participated, and was eager!  He is in the afternoon class this year and I enjoyed 2 whole hours to myself while he and Clare were gone at school and Ellen napped!  

Two kiddos after school!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday to our Ellen!  We can't believe you are already 2!  

We love you very much and love hearing your little voice talk more and more!  You are a sweet girl who loves babies, books, shoes, princesses, Barbies, and most importantly, Peppa Pig!  

We were so lucky to have Grandpa and Grandma B. here to celebrate with us!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ellen!  We love you!  

Dove's Amazingness

I inherited my mom's thick, naturally curly hair.  Over time, I have perfected my system of managing and straightening my hair.  Even so, my hair usually frizzes when it rains and grows in humid weather.  And since my perfected straight-hair system involves blow-drying my hair, all of the heat can leave my hair fried.  Add in time spent in the sun at the pool and the beach this summer, and the extremely hot weather my hair has endured the past few months. and my hair was feeling rough and looking for some love.

It is important to me to use a shampoo and conditioner that can prevent my hair from getting damaged from the constant heat while also helping me keep the unwanted frizz away.

I was thrilled to have the chance to try and review Dove's advanced conditioner, "Dove Nutritive Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner."  (Plus the UPS truck at your door is always exciting at our house!)  After my sample arrived, I looked forward to using it on my hair that night.  (I'm a PM shower-er.)

The Dove advanced conditioner container is designed so the bottle sits upright with the dispensing end on the bottom, so the conditioner is always ready when it's time to rinse out the shampoo and start conditioning.  Dove Nourishing Oil Care is nice and thick, and smoothed nicely through my wet hair.  I loved the way it smells...not overly flowery or fruity, but just an overall light, clean girly scent.

After towel-drying and combing out my hair, my hair was incredibly smooth and felt nourished.  No stickiness, it wasn't greasy, and it didn't hold the water in my hair like some smoothing and repair products tend to do.  (Which leads to longer time for me under the hair-dryer - boo!)

But with Dove's advanced conditioning, my hair dried nicely.  Once dry, my hair was incredibly soft to the touch.  I kept running my hands through my hair because it was so smooth.  I didn't have any fly-aways, my hair was silky, but still had all of it's natural volume.  My hair definitely felt healthier and nourished.  I felt pampered with touchable, soft hair that lasted all day!

I'm inviting you to treat yourself with a chance to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate! When you follow the link below to enter, share your favorite way to give your hair -and yourself- some TLC.

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Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day, 1940, Silverton, CO
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Ways I'm {trying to be} Organized this School Year...

We are in the midst of week #3 of 1st grade and preschool starts next week.  Needless to say, the school dictates some of daily schedule....from when we wake up to when everyone heads to bed.  To make the most of my day, and in an attempt not to loose my marbles, here are some of the ways I keep things together during the school year:

1. Starting a load of laundry before bed.  (I promise my laundry never smells sour when I go to switch it in the morning.)  I can have a load of laundry folded and put away by 8 AM if I start the dryer shortly after I get up at 6 AM.

2.  Writing it down.  I finally broke down last year and bought an official "planner."  ("Mom's Plan-it Calendar" to be specific!)  I have the grade school and pre-school calendars copied into it and every time I open the weekly school newsletter from my email, I have it next to me to jot down anything I need to add in about the upcoming week.  We didn't miss any dress-down days or all parents-invited school events last year!  

3.  During the day, I keep a tote bag out on my kitchen table and fill it with anything that can be done in the car while we wait for the kids to be dismissed from school.  When I'm heading out the door, I grab the bag and can usually accomplish something off my "to-do list" during pick-up.  

  

4.  A place for everything and everything in it's place.  School demands a lot of "stuff"...backpacks, lunch boxes, specific shoes that need to be worn, etc.  And this year we added soccer gear into the mix!  I change out what we keep in our laundry room bench depending on the season...beach towels in the summer, hats and mittens in the winter, etc.  Right now Jude's soccer shoes and shin-guards are stored in one of the baskets in that bench.  

Clare's school shoes all stay in the shoe basket in the laundry room.  She takes them off when she comes in the door and they stay there until she's heading out the door in the morning.  Not having to look for lost items saves me time (and sanity) when we are heading out the door. 

 

5.  Staying on some kind of a schedule/routine.  Jude is doing afternoon preschool this year, so we have 5 "free" mornings a week.  To make the most of his last full year home with me (sniff, sniff), I've been trying to follow some kind of daily/weekly schedule for us.  For example, he is really enjoying story hour this year, so I make sure we head to the library on the days it is offered.  I also always go grocery shopping on Thursdays, and Fridays we have reserved for playdates.           

    

6. Easy dinners.  Especially those that can be made ahead of time (not during the homework hour) or use the beloved crockpot - bonus!  

7.  This might seem odd, but I make sure to keep a pen in the car.  While we are waiting to be dismissed from the grade school pick-up line, I can sign anything in Clare's backpack (her assignment book needs initialed every night) and fill out and sign any forms that come home.  Then everything can go right back into her folder and I have a few less papers to go through at home. 

So there's my list for keeping things somewhat under control from August to May!  

Do you have any tips to add?   

PS - Go see Jen for more Quick Takes.

Linking here.