Pictureboards

I added some scrapbook pages to Alaina's pinboards and she LOVES them.  When I go to get her from her nap, she will point at them and want to look at them.  Her favorite ones are the ones with all the family on them.  She loves seeing people she recognizes.

Caitlin Sleepwalking

Yesterday morning, Rusty told us a funny story.  At 11:45, he woke up to Caitlin a foot from his face staring at him.  It scared him to death!  She said that she couldn't sleep but he also noticed our bathroom lights were on.  He told her to turn the lights out and go back to bed.  She turned the lights out and crawled in our bed.  He told her again to go back to bed - her bed!  So she goes half way up the stairs and starts crying, "My blanket, where's my blanket?"  He says, "You didn't bring your blanket down here."  So she goes back to bed.  Caitlin didn't remember ANY of it.  It cracked her up, though, to hear the silly things she does in her sleep.  No wonder she's so tired every morning - she's running around the house in her sleep doing crazy things!!

Easter Sunday

Here's my two Easter girls!  I took this really quick before church.

Here's what the Easter Bunny brought them.

Alaina got a puppy Violet, some bunny ears, headbands, some misc little toys and an art desk.

Caitlin got a Zoobles, soccer ball, bunny ears, coloring book, bunny slippers, art desk and some candy.

The chicken that hatches bubble gum eggs was a favorite!

The girls both got an art desk that they can use anywhere.

After church, we went to mom's for an Easter Egg Hunt.  Alaina did not know what to do but still had fun, I think.

Caitlin found the golden egg! 

Homemade Pizza

We've had fun making homemade pizzas recently.  Caitlin loves helping and she's gotten really good at rolling the dough out and putting the toppings on.  My favorite pizza recently uses an Alfredo sauce and has fresh mushrooms and bacon as toppings.  Yummy!!

And yes, I was a little out of it last night, and made the pizza with the cheese on top.  I didn't even realize until after it was cooked.  It still tasted good, so we will pretend I did that on purpose.

Caitlin was enjoying the documenting of the pizza and wanted to film her own segment. 

Here is "Cooking with Caitlin":

Baby Shower Gift

Last weekend, I went to a baby shower.  Along with my burp rags I made (bottom picture), I gave her some receiving blankets, washclothes and a blanket.  I read this blog that showed how to make "cupcakes" out of the receiving blankets and washclothes .  You roll them up, wrap them in coffee filters, tie a ribbon around them and put them in a cupcake box.  I think they turned out really cute and everyone at the shower seemed to think they were cute.  Very easy!  The hardest part was finding a cupcake box.  I went to a local cupcake bakery and bought some (and of course bought some real cupcakes).

I love watching my girls sleep!  They always get in the funniest positions.  Alaina prefers to cuddle up to the top of her crib.  Usually she is under her blanket but today she was using it as a pillow.

I have been very blessed that both my girls are great sleepers.  They both LOVE their blankets their Nana made them and can't sleep without them.  When it's time for Alaina to go to bed, all I have to do is put her blanket on my shoulder and she will lay her head down on it.  I rock her for a minute and turn on her Violet puppy that plays bedtime music.  Then I put her in the bed.  She almost never fusses and when she does fuss, it is only until I close the door and she can't see me anymore.  Then when she wakes up, she plays with her Violet, Giraffe or seahorse until I come to get her.  She's such a great baby!!!

I am NOT a sewing idiot . . .

I had a breakthrough with my sewing machine and have finally figured out how to sew in a straight line.  Turns out my machine works better with a metal bobbin than a plastic one.  So, once I figured that out, I had the nerve to tackle some baby gifts.  I am going to a baby shower on Saturday so I personalized some burp rags.  I did struggle a little bit with how thick it was to sew on.  If there is a trick to that that someone can share, please do!

  

I was going to add ribbon down the sides, but I was nervous about have to sew along both sides of the ribbon.  Maybe with thicker ribbon that wouldn't have been so hard.  But the ribbon tying these was what I was working with.  I was afraid of ruining what I had so far.  Anyway, I think they turned out cute.

Hula Hoops and Jump Ropes

Caitlin showcasing her "skills"

Baby Sign Language

This is my shoe today. I'm on training today so I'm casual!!



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Today's going to be a good day . . .

simply because I am rocking these shoes today!!

Yes, shoes can make you happy!!!!

Ponytails and Tattoos

Caitlin won a "tattoo" from school and wanted to wear it this morning. I told her she could if she got ready in time. She got ready with 12 minutes to spare before the bus. That NEVER happens!!!

 
Also, for the past 5-7 days, she's been wanting a ponytail for school.  This morning I asked her why she loves a ponytail so much, thinking it was because of horses.  (She tells me all the time she wants to be a cowgirl and today she wanted an outfit that would go with her brown boots because they look like horseriding boots.)  Nope, she loves a ponytail because Casey (a boy in her class at school) likes her best that way.  OH BOY!!!!!!!

Yummy Lasagna Rolls

I made this yummy recipe on Sunday.  Alaina was sick and took a monster nap so I got took advantage of the time.  It turned out really good and was healthy!!

Here's the recipe:
Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 roll • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 6 ww pts
Calories: 224.9 • Fat: 5.1 g • Fiber: 3.4 g • Protein: 13.0 g • Carbs: 31.5

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
32 oz tomato sauce
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll

I also made this for dessert - SUPER YUMMY!!!
 

Strawberry Shortcake
1 quart (4 cups) strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup whipping cream

Heat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and the butter until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 6 spoonfuls.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

Apples and loose teeth don't mix

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I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!!

I still have my leftover iphone 3G and Caitlin has been playing with it on occasion.  It has movies and tv shows that are appropriate for her and I just recently put Angry Birds on it.  She loves that!!   Well yesterday, I took it one step further.  I added Skype and created an email address for her that has security and parental controls attached.  With Skype, she can use the phone (which has no phone service attached to it) to call over our wifi connection.  I set up a few contacts for her.  She has already Skyped me three times today at work and emailed me twice.  It is awesome!  The emailing is actually going to be good for her spelling and reading.  Bonus!  So if you want Caitlin's email address or Skype name and want to send her a message, let me know.  I don't want to publicize it here.

Someone's about to get another visit from the tooth fairy . . .

Amazing!

Yes, this is with NO training wheels!!  Caitlin taught herself to ride a bike - AMAZING!!  She's been playing after school with some girls her age on our street.  They had a bike with no training wheels and let her borrow it.  After a few falls and scrapes, she got the hang of it and hasn't looked back.  Once she showed us, to prove it to us, we took her training wheels off and pumped up her tire from her neglected bike.  I have a feeling that bike will get some love now!!

Um, cutest shoes ever!!

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We are so ready for spring!!

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Easter Eggs

Caitlin and I have been getting out the Easter decorations. I wasn't planning to put this basket out but then I thought Alaina might enjoy it. I put it on one of our coffee tables and I was right. She loved playing with the eggs. They are plastic so she can't break them. Everything else that is breakable is up high where she can't reach. She played with these for a while and then when it was time for bed, I sang the clean up song and she helped me pick them up. She's such a good girl!! We are so lucky to have two good girls!!















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St. Patrick's Day Freebie

I posted an easy, freebie St. Patrick's Day craft for everyone.  Head on over to my design blog - http://www.shannonhairrdesigns.blogspot.com/.