A Tween Party!

My 12 year old daughter wanted to have a duct tape themed birthday party!   Yikes!  How does one do that???  If you have been following my blog you may have noticed that our lives have been a little busy.  So, here is my interpretation of that theme.  You will notice her favorite color everywhere in the party too. 

I am also crazy and I let her have an all-nighter.  I know...I know...crazy right?!   We had 7 tweens in our home...this was going to be quite the adventure or the worst idea of my life. 

On the snack menu, cupcakes with duct tape flags, chips, mini homemade pizza squares, chocolate covered pretzels,  marshmallows dipped in chocolate, orange candy slices and lots of lemonade.  (One smart thing I did was that I got each girl an orange water bottle and wrote their name on it. If it tipped over...no spillage and no sharing of germs or wondering who's drink was whose.) 

I wanted to incorporate duct tape somewhere...here are some flags I made with all of her fun tape. 

I spent the week thinking about what the girls would want to do at the party.  I came up with a few ideas.  There is a playground very close to our house so we walked over and took some very fun photos.  The girls really got into coming up with some fun shots.   They were pretty fun to hang out with and they didn't even mind mom hanging out with them. 

One of my favorite shots!

I didn't want to hear "I'm bored" all night.  So, I came up with something brilliant.... I filled a box with slips of paper with things to do on them.  I came up with almost thirty different things.  I had a bucket with all the things they needed to accomplish each task.  The rules were...
1.  They could only pull one slip out at a time.
2.  They all had to agree to pull out a slip.
3.  The birthday girl got to pick out the slip and read it.
4.  If they decided to pull out the slip they had to complete the task.
(Oh and since I came up with them, they were all "mom approved"!  Brilliant isn't it?! LOL)


Here are the ideas!
1. Do sparklers
2. Paint nails
3. Talk like a pirate for the next 20 min
4. Make balloon bracelets
5. Make up a skit and preform it
6. Tell silly ridiculous scary stories
7. Paint a frame to take home
8. Have a biggest bubble blowing contest.
9. Have a burping contest
10. Make duct tape bracelets
11. Say "Bazinga" after every sentence for the next 10 min.
12.  Put glow in the dark tattoos on.
13.  Play a game...taboo, apples to apples or balderdash.
14.  Play truth or dare (but only do things mom would approve of)
15.  Write out facts about each other on paper, don't write their name on it,  mix them up, try to guess which fact belongs to each person.
16.  Tell and embarrassing funny story.
17.  Watch a movie.
18.  Take a zillion funny pictures.
19.  Start a story.  Each person tells one sentence at a time and continue until the birthday girl says, "The End"!
20.  Everybody lay on the floor.  Close your eyes, make the strangest noises you can and nobody laugh!
21.  Play the game concentration.  
22.  Spray the sour candy in your mouth and say a tongue twister really fast.
23.  Do something weird you know how to do like wiggle your ears, bend your fingers back...etc.
24.  Put stickers all over your faces.
25.  Make the funniest faces you can and nobody laugh.
26.  Play the Wii
27.  Sing five silly songs in a weird accent.
28.  Do everybody's hair in a weird hairstyle!


 They only made it through half of these and some they did the next morning.  It was a lot of fun and I never heard..."We're Bored!"


It was fun going outside and doing sparklers!  A side note...I love, love, love my camera!

These are the fun frames they painted and I put a fun picture we took at her party in them.  We used duct tape here too. These were the party favors.

I put up the twinkle lights to make my living room even more fun. 

The girls didn't make it all night.  Once a movie went on they got sleepy.  I think they were all asleep by 3am. 


For breakfast we had french toast bake, sausage, string cheese and bananas.  So Good that I wanted to share the recipe for the french toast!

Baked French Toast~allrecipe

Ingredients:
1 loaf texas toast cut or broken into bite size pieces (you can really use any kind of bread, I used french bread)
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup half and half cream (if you don't have you can just do milk, I used buttermilk)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Arrange the slices in bottom of buttered 9x13 pan. Beat eggs, milk cream, vanillla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Sauce:

3/4 cup butter
1/13 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

The next morning in a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup, heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees uncovered I cooked it for about 40 min.  It will puff up and set.


This tween party was a big success!  All the girls had a lot of fun, there was no fighting, no crying and no getting in trouble!  I even got a little sleep...Whoo HOO!  However, my house is trashed; but it is worth it!

Happy Birthday to my 12 year old!

GET JOY!

Thanksgiving Reflection

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time with my family and this year was no exception. I love the
warm colors, the smell of roasting turkey, the feel of cozy hugs, the taste of cinnamon in my mulled cider and the sounds of children giggling in far off rooms away from the eyes of parents.

I hope and pray you had a pleasant Thanksgiving with your family. I hope you remembered to be thankful for all that God has given to us. He is truly good!

The table was set...

The food was made...

My first pumkin pie!!!!

Yummy pumkin cookies with frosting, recipe below.

Kids at the Kid Table...

and Enjoying family!




For fun I let the girls take my camera and take as many pictures as they wanted to...here is Thanksgiving through their eyes...

Great time had by all and made for very sleepy babies!!!

Pumpkin cookie recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups of all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t allspice ( I've never used it in mine so far)
2 cups vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
1 can (15oz) Libby's Pure Pumpkin
2 large eggs
4 t vanilla extract, divided
2 cups raisins(I don't ever use this!)
1 cup nuts (I also never use this)
2/3 cup butter, softened
3 t rum extract ( I only use a drop, really it's not necessary)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Nestle carnation evaporated milk

Preheat over to 350f. Combine flour, baking pwder, soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Beat shortening and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl for 30 sec. Add pumpkin, eggs and 2 t vanilla extract; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture into pumpkin mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in raisins and nuts (if you choose to do so:) Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or intil edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2min; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Spread each cookie with frosting.

For the frosting:)
Beat butter, rum extract and remaining vanilla in medium bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and evaporated milk until smooth. The frosting will be thin.

Enjoy!!! This recipe makes probably 40ish cookies. Don't eat them all in one sitting like I probably could. Pace yourself. Maybe only make a 1/2 recipe.

A Recipe For Thanksgiving! ~No bake pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Pie Fluff!

I got this recipe from a lady at my church, it is as easy as PIE!
Prep time....like five minutes!

1 Can of pumpkin pie with spices
2 small packages of vanilla pudding
2 small packages of cool whip (softened)
(Try using sugar free stuff to make it more healthy, I am gonna try it out for my diabetic dad!)

Mix together! Serve as a mousse or....

If you wanted to be lazy you could bake a pre-made
pie crust and once it was cooled put the fluff inside.

Here is something I discovered while making it today. If you buy the pre-made graham cracker pie shell you get the throw away tin with lid. Take that to your Thanksgiving meal and you have one step clean up....throw the packaging away when done. Easy travel, easy clean up and the best no bake pumpkin pie ever....soooo easy, soooooo Yummy! It really does taste like pumpkin pie but cooler and lighter!

I just sent this recipe over to I'm A Lazy Mom! She is posting all sorts of great easy steps, few ingredient recipes for Thanksgiving meals. She has some really great ones posted. Maybe, my submission will get posted if some one else has not done that recipe all ready.

Freeing the Fat Friday! Not a Diet!

I am finishing up my two week goals, changing my menu and exercising. It went pretty well. I followed the menu exactly...except for one bit of pizza. I squeezed some exercise in as well....not as much as I should have I am afraid. Overall, I am pretty pleased with the results.

Now, I want to make something very clear...I am NOT on a diet. I am in the process of a life change. I have been physically sick and tired. I can not keep moving in the direction I was heading. Now portions of this "Life Change" may seem like a diet; but its purpose is to get me healthy once again. (I will share more of my feelings about this on another Friday in the future. )

God's Lesson for Me!

One of my favorite verses is

Philippians 4:13 (New International Version)
13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Thanks Leslie for encouraging me with this verse just recently. On one of my walks, God shared with me that He will help me if I do my part. The neat thing is about this verse is that I have to start the "DOing". This verse does not say, " I can sit on the couch and eat pizza all day through Him who gives me strength." Now of course I could choose to do that it would be yummy but you would have to hire a fork lift to get me out of my house someday.

But He has so much more for us. This verse is more about God giving us the strength to do His will and be content with what He has in store for us. It means I have to get up off the couch and do something and He will be faithful with His promise to give us the strength to do it. I can only find contentment and joy in this life change with God's strength; but it requires action on my part.

Check out this post for more thoughts on this verse.

Reality's Ups and Downs

Downs
Well of course eating healthy doesn't taste as great as chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone or a greasy everything cheeseburger...it is an adjustment. There are times that my tummy growls at me and I want to fill it with something a little more yummy than a carrot.

Exercising is not something I have the motivation to do until I actually start doing it. It maybe the hardest adjustment to this whole life change. I have had far too many excuses for far to long that keeps me sitting on the couch. It is biggest challenge for me...even more than the eating thing.

Ups
I am amazed that the food still tastes pretty good. I am also amazed how many times I am not hungry after a meal. I have realized, that with me, it wasn't how much I was eating; but what I was eating that was the problem. I had some big offenders like juice, milk and carbs. I was drinking my calories! I am definitely learning my food mistakes.

I am feeling a lot better physically. I was surprised how quickly I noticed a difference. I thought it would take a few weeks for my stomach to feel good again. This has been a shocking happy surprise!

Meals for Today:

Breakfast

Warm, yummy oatmeal just makes you feel snug as bug in a rug. I curled up under my quilt and enjoyed my bowl of oatmeal with raisin, almonds, splenda, splash of milk and sprinkle of pure vanilla. I have never had my oatmeal like that and it will be something I have again...YUM!


Lunch

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza...Yeah!
English muffin + Tomatoe sauce + Broccolli + Lowfat Cheese = YUM!

Dinner

I could not believe that at my grocery store was sitting one package of lamb...just for me. Ha I was simply amazed, I have never ever ever seen it there before and there it was one package...it might as well of had my name written all over it. I honestly thought I was going to have to change my meat for this meal. I will probably never buy it again it was a little pricey for so little. But I love lamb....so another Yeah for me!!!!!!!


Snack
Awesome! A peach shake was on the menu. 1 peach, ice and 1 cup of skim milk...add a little splenda and it was really good. Your kids will love this drink for sure.

Exercise
Didn't get any in today...I got a headache coming on. Ugh!


FOOD'S FAVORITE FRIENDS!
Pure Vanilla Extract, Salsa, Lime, Haagen Dazs Vanilla Low Fat Yogurt, Garlic and Splenda!

Life Change Challenge:

I have decide that since this life change is not about how I look on the outside but more about being healthy; I am going to make a bold move. Starting today, I am not going to step on a scale to weigh myself until I go to my physical Sept. 8th.

Now, some of you maybe thinking, "That is crazy, how can you see if you are making progress?" For me, I have to make sure that I keep my mind focused on the "God Issues" going on inside of me. This has to be about glorifying God with my habits and my physical temple not vanity. Now, I am already a week into this and I feel the benefits of this low calorie/ low fat diet (which I will write about next week). I am excited about what God is going to do!

Next week:

I forgot we are going to be working at Youth Camp! Yikes they prepare all our meals there. This is going to be interesting. I will not be able to follow the menu my doctor gave me. I have to figure out how to eat... I think I am taking some of my food friends and some extra food with me. Thank goodness they have a fridge there. I can't wait to read about the outcome next week! Hahahahaha Remember, I can do ALLLLL things through Him who gives me strength...that means even avoiding the snack shop! Praise GOD!

Even with my food, I am choosing to...






Oh, be sure to pick up my button on the side bar, thanks Jenilee. Please, feel free to share my blog with friends who might be going through the same life change. I would love to be an encouragement to them. ~Blessings!

Freeing the Fat~ Week 2, Day 5

I cheated...yes I am willing to admit it...I cheated today. I had a bite of my son's pizza. It was rough and I did take I bite. LOL I don't think it will not ruin anything though. : )


So another new favorite is a lime. It sure does make water taste better. Thanks to my sister for directing me towards this cute little fruit. It has a fun taste. Try it instead of a lemon some time!


Here are my meals today....

Breakfast
This was a good meal. Light whole wheat toast with light margarine. A yummy orange was also on the menu. That egg was suppose to be sunny side up...well it just turned into all messed up. Slap a little dollop of salsa on it and it looks great!

Lunch
Oooooooo doesn't my lunch look pretty?! There were a few sad things about this dish. No mayo in my tuna, so I chopped up a pickle to help. I think I really would have liked the fattening ranch for this. But the non-fat ranch will just have to do. I liked the look and ease of this dish.

Snack

Hahaha this one made me laugh. I felt like I was in daycare working again. This looks like a snack I would give to my kids back then. Don't get me wrong...it was good. I love animal crackers. I use to get a big bag to have in my dorm room at CBC. I knew they were low fat and low calories...and back then I was avoiding the freshman 15! LOL I love that I could only have 8...only 8! Count them there are only 8. I also love that I can only identify (for certain) 5 of the animal shapes. How many can you??????


Dinner

Was good..but I unfortunately did test the noodles before I put them on my plate and they were a little undercooked; but over all a good. I think I would add another clove of garlic to this one for some more flavor. Oh and by the way I love shrimp...so a big YEAH for this dish.

I sautéed garlic and leftover red peppers from lunch, then I added 4 oz of shrimp. Add one cup of crushed tomatoes. I added oregano too. When finished cookin dump it over one cup of whole wheat noodles. This was very easy to make and once again too much for me to finish.


Exercise

On our bike ride the baby trailer totally blew a tire. I think I filled it up with too much air. It was pretty loud. Some people passing us by at the time even commented about it. hahahaha Oh and it started at the beginning of our ride but too far into it to go back home. Work those muscles hubby...work them. It was a great evening to ride bikes; it was a lot of fun.

Freeing the Fat ~ Week 2, Day 4

So today's meals were what I would call rather ordinary. They were good, but nothing too fancy....not like yesterday that is for sure!

For breakfast I had French Toast. It was good. I have a new friend, Splenda! I put two little packets in with my egg mix and 1/8 of teaspoon of pure vanilla. I really enjoyed it. I put my snack with it, raspberries. Yummy!






I got my excerise in today. I took my kids on a long bike ride. We stopped half way and had a picnic lunch. Turkey sandwich and banana was what I had. It was hot today and I think the ride back nearly killed me. I was pulling my son behind me...whewwww it was rough.




Dinner was fairly tasty. Chicken, green peppers, onion and brown rice. I added 1 garlic clove and it made it all the better. Oh, it was supposed to be veal loin but all I could find in my grocery stores was breaded veal. I don't think that was gonna work so I traded it for chicken.



I think I am gonna make it this week; but the smell of garlic and onion may kill my hubby! : )