Happy Thanksgiving

This thanksgiving I made a spinach galette. It was yummy, but I think next year I will have to go back to the traditional green bean casserole. Need to remember to save back more beans from the garden next year.


The kitchen was in full swing. A busy and happy place to be cooking. Grandma looks like she is yelling in the bottom, but she totally wasn't and I love that oxymoron.


Littlest kids table. You know the family is big when you have a teen table, a kids table, and a littlest kids table.


And after dinner there was music.


And some super late night crafting, note it was almost eleven pm in this picture.


We crashed hard that night!

Refrigerator Raider

I find myself repeating, "Claire get out of the refrigerator!" I love her determination and her new found independence. I especially love her joy in whole carrots for a snack, but goodness the constant opening of the door will be my demise.

Dia de Los Muertos

In remembrance of those that have passed in my life, may they be lifted up with love and light and that their memories alway stay warm in my heart.
We celebrated the day of the dead on Saturday.



We attended a great event, and Emma really loved the crafts.


Claire on the other hand was not thrilled and was content watching from her stroller.



Feliz Dia de Los Muertos a tí

Happy Halloween!

Emma was a starlight fairy and Claire was a care bear.
We had such a great time trick or treating.



It was a perfect night to be out.



The big kids had to hike.


While the little ones cruised in style, with the drive thru trick or treating approach.



Happy Halloween!

Making lanterns

First paint a piece of watercolor paper and let it dry. Then oil it with vegetable oil, massage the oil in until you see the paper become transparent. Gather your supplies. This is a half sheet of 11"x15" paper.


Fold the corner over to get a 7.5" square.


Cut excess off.



Fold diagonally the other direction.



Fold in half length wise, and then again width wise.



Off set the corners, matching the length and width folds with diagonal folds.


Fold the corners down.



Open folds.


Cut the corners off, and now you an octagon.


Make sure you have 16 segments, you may need to half some of the larger segments if you do not have 16.

Fold up a section of four segments matching to the angles.


Continue around.



Open up and do the same to the other octagon points.
Looks the same but you will see triangles in the center this time of the framed area.


Turn over.


Fold down on the line.


Repeat folding down the triangles around.





Finish shaping.



Enjoy!

Science Fair

We found a science fair on Saturday, and it was free. I decided I would take the girls, and it was awesome. We made slime, brush bots, chap stick. We taste tested popcorn for saturated fats, and tried dry ice cheese puffs. We saw lots of crazy bugs, and even pet a giant beetle. The favorites were the brush bots and the slime.

This was the kit they used for the bristle bot, but I am going to try to see if I can find the stuff locally and do a tutorial on it.
Aren't their bots the cutest!






And the slime! The girls love the slime!



Ingredients: ½ cup glue and two Cups Borax
1. Mix ½ -cup water with ½ cup glue. In a separate container, mix ½ cup water with 2c. Borax (Borax can be purchased in the laundry detergent aisle).
2. Now, stir the Borax mixture while slowly adding the glue mixture.
3. It should immediately come together to make slime. If it isn't quite right try adding more of the Borax and water.

Nap struggle

Oh the joy of having a toddler that thinks she is too big to nap. Her brain wants to be awake but her body is so tired. And then when she finally succumbs to the sleepiness it is to late to nap, so I have to fight her to stay awake.
Sigh, deep breath because this child is making me seriously consider spiking my coffee.