Zacheus and Brown Sugar Baked Chicken

One day in the car ride home after school, Steven excitedly told me about something that happened in music class that day. He explained that he was given a special part in his school's Easter play. He was playing the part of Zacheus. You know the one who climbed up into the tree to get a better view of Jesus. Steven was very excited because he would have scripted lines, and coolest thing ever....a microphone. When we got to the auditorium, I could tell he was pretty nervous, but he did his lines and sang the songs with ease. He looked pretty darn cute too......

Steven and Bailey getting ready.

My handsome boy

During the play

That evening I made one of Steven's favorite meals, in honor of his job well done. Brown Sugar baked chicken and tomato salad with feta are his absolute favorites. I've recently tweaked this recipe, by adding grated orange zest, and he ate seconds! 

Brown Sugar Baked Chicken

3 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp chili powder

Freshly grated orange zest of 1 orange

8 chicken drumsticks

Sprinkle of sea salt

A few turns of pepper mill

Mix all dry ingredients into a large ziploc bag. Add chicken drumsticks, and shake until chicken is well coated. Marinate in refrigerator, or just arrange chicken on baking dish and bake at 375* for 30 minutes.

I Love a Parade!

Our kids school was invited to be in our small town annual parade in honor of George Washington's birthday.They were so very excited because neither of them had ever been in a parade.  George and I waited anxiously as the floats passed by, then finally heard the patriotic music and kids singing. They were waving their American flags and singing at the tops of their voices. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a lite breakfast at our local coffee shop, before hitting the rock climbing wall and jumper.

Before the parade

Antique police car

Steven's favorite part of the parade

Police horses

                                      
 

Just my luck, Steven was seated on one side of the float, and Amanda Lily was on the other side! I did get lucky though. This picture has both kids in it. I was screaming her name to try and get her attention over all the crowd and loud speakers. She turned and waved just as I snapped my camera. Steven was so cute playing his bell.

I LOVE this shot of Steven. He's strapped in ready to bounce himself to the sky.

Looks like they were having so much fun. Makes a mama happy.

Valentines Cookie Cups

Every year, the kids pick out Valentine's for their friends at Target. This year, Amanda Lily had a different idea. Being the creative girl she is, she decided to hand make Valentines for her classmates.(See photos below.) I had a wonderful time getting in on the excitement of Valentines Day. Mrs Roberts asked me if I could come up with a craft to do with the class. Amanda Lily and her friends had a lot of fun painting decorative rocks, then I came around and put a heart sticker on each. A blast of spray gloss sealed them and shined them up. Voila.....paperweights for their parents! I didn't get any great photos of her class in action because they kept me busy.

I'm afraid my years of having fun with Steven's class for Valentines Day are officially over. I sent in a batch of chocolate cupcakes for him to share, but 5th grade must be the cut off for fun cutesy arts and crafts. He and his friends had no interest in me coming in and making a big fuss over the holiday. :(
However, Steven did have a good time picking his Valentines cards out at Target. And, he took his time attaching a pencil and piece of candy to each.

I saw a recipe along these lines on Pinterest. I tweaked it by using pink filled oreo cookies in the center. They couldn't be simpler to make, or more yummy.

1 package sugar cookie dough, softend

1 package oreo cookies or 12 full sized peanut butter cups or rolos 

cupcake wrappers

Take softened sugar cookie dough, and form around treat of your choice. Drop into cupcake wrapper lined cupcake pan, and bake at 300* for 35 mins. Let cookies cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove from cups.

Valentines Day fell on a dance day this year. I found these vintage ballerina tags on freeprettythingsforyou.com, and couldn't resist attaching them with twine to a snack sized ziploc filled with pink and white marshmallow hearts. All of Amanda Lily's dance friends were charmed.

Here are the pouches she weaved for her classmates. They each got a personalized pouch that she filled with a pencil and piece of candy.

These are the only photos I got of her class working on the heart paperweights. 

And finally, here she is all smiles with her dozen reds from her only Valentine (for now at least), Daddy. He sends her flowers every year on Valentine's Day. Be still my heart.

Spring 2013

This Spring has been unusually cold. We are so glad to have some warmer weather, and apparently the farm animals are happy about it too! Amanda Lily and I went out to the farm one afternoon after school because she wanted to check on all the new babies we have out there. Afterwards, we came home and planted her flower garden that is connected to her little playhouse. She was so pleased with her garden, and all the bright colors of her flowers. I tend to lean towards neutrals, but she is her own person, and I let her be! She chose the flowers at our local nursery, and happily waters and tends to them.

My outdoor project is a bit bigger. I'll get to it in a far off future post, once it is complete.

This is Little Lila, a baby goat.

This is Henry, a baby lamb.

Here we have the Quakers. (They never shut up)

This is "Moo" and her baby.

I wish I had a picture to post of these flowers today. They are really happy and blooming under the care of this little lady.