Kumquats and such

Last week we had a couple days of absolutely gorgeous weather... Someone could hardly wait to get to the playground! "I can do it all by mine self!" Have you figured out that I'm in love with this barn?! This is a sign that I take too many pictures of Reagan. She had me sit on a rock, then laid down on the ground with her "camera" (aka my iPod) and "took my picture!" What a face!

Last week we had some fun with Pinterest activities! After the homemade fruit snacks, we decided to make SLIME! Talk about a fun sensory project for toddlers. I found the "pin" courtesy of my friend, Kelley, and knew we had to put it on our list of things to do. Here's the link so the rest of you can join the fun...and here's our version: Step 1: Assemble ingredients (pretty easy, eh?!). The original post actually says you're supposed to use clear glue, but after three stores, we decided that green gel would just have to suffice. The Sta-Flo is a liquid starch that can be found at the grocery store. We also used food coloring (not pictured). Step 2: Pour contents of both glue bottles into a large bowl. The recipe calls for one and a half cups. We just dumped:) Step 3: Add the liquid starch. The recipe calls for one and a half cups. I would start with one cup and then add until you reach the desired consistency. I ended up having to use paper towe...

Hello, my name is Jennifer, and I'm a newly addicted Pinterest member. I have actually been a member for quite sometime, but only recently started my addiction. As I was browsing the favorites section, I came across a pin for homemade fruit snacks . I repinned it immediately and as soon as I had some free time, Reagan and I got to work making them. You can find the step-by-step directions and ingredient list on the previous link, but here's our version: Step 1: Select the fruit you'd like. We obviously chose blueberries & raspberries. Step 2: Place 1 cup of fruit in a small saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the fruit becomes soft (approx 4 minutes). Step 3: Place contents of the saucepan in the blender and puree. Make sure you leave that small plug inside the lid out since the fruit is hot. Otherwise, the lid pops off and you've got a big mess! Step 4: Return fruit puree to saucepan, stir in 1/2 cup of applesauce. ...

One morning a couple weeks ago, it finally snowed enough to play outside (only about an inch and a half, but when you're 2, that's enough!). While Jason worked hard, shoveling and salting the driveway, Reagan and I donned our winter attire and headed outside to play. She loved it! At first, she was wearing these cute blue mittens, but they quickly became little cocoons of ice, and she was not happy. Since the mittens didn't work so well, I gave her my big gloves and she felt much better...and looked really silly:)  But it allowed her to stay outside for an extra 15 minutes, so it was totally worth it! Before we both left for work, I snapped one of my new favorite pictures of Daddy and Reagan!

In early January, Reagan was reunited with her best bud, and boyfriend, Sean Patrick! Maureen and Brian brought the kiddos up to see her parents (who live about 15 minutes from us). We were lucky enough to steal them for an afternoon/evening! We let the kids play in the backyard for a bit and then we enjoyed dinner and some great conversation. Plus, we all got to meet Cormac!! He's just as sweet as Sean and so adorable!  Love their coordinating jackets! Like two little snowboarders:) They didn't skip a beat...sharing hugs and kisses! After dinner, we gave them a bath together, something they've done a million times. They had a blast! And of course, there was more kissing:) Here's Moe and Cormac! Isn't he handsome?! So glad they could take some time to come see us. I actually went to Maureen's parents house a couple more times because I just miss her so darn much! She and I raised our first babies together, endured deployments, and...

On one of Jessica's last days in Virginia, she was kind enough to watch Reagan while I went to work. I had left the car for them on that particular day, and when they came to pick me up, they had supplies to make bouncy balls! This is something Jessica and I did in grade school, and it's a lot of fun. You need one box of Borax laundry detergent, a bottle of Elmer's glue, and some food coloring. Step 1: Pour about 1/2 cup of Borax into a cup or bowl. Step 2: Add a few droplets of food coloring into each container. Step 3: With a small amount of the Borax in your hand, squirt some glue onto the pile and cover it with laundry powder. Start to roll it into a ball.  Step 4: Continue adding glue and Borax until the ball becomes the size you would like. Step 5: Play with the bouncy balls!  This is a fun project that you can do with little ones. They like to mix the colors into the Borax and play with the balls. The part with the glue is a little tri...

Pajama party time!!! For the second year in a row, we've celebrated New Year's Eve in style...everyone in their PJs hanging out at Colleen and Keith's house! We even got Reagan and Max involved this year: Of course, they went to bed (eventually) and then the real party started. Reagan actually sat on the couch while the party was going on, watching one of her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes on my phone. She was being so good, that I let her go upstairs to the "big bed" with the phone. I went to check on her 15 minutes later and she was sound asleep, still gripping the phone:)  All in all, I think I took about 100 pictures that night. Here are the ones that are family-friendly:) Tiffany and Colleen  Colleen and the giants! Hey, nothing says "Happy New Year" like a party hat, right?! Uncle Adam, Max and Auntie Tiffany (just before the kiddos went to bed) It took awhile before Colleen & Keith had any friends show up...