Summer to do list... UPDATE!

We have really enjoyed our "Summer to do list" (read about it this post). 

Here are pictures from recent activities:

Slip and Slide!

Talent Show!

Jeff demonstrated his incredible Rubik's cube skills

Grant did a pretty amazing card trick.

Dallin ate 13 pancakes! (after eating dinner, he also ate his candy bar prize without skipping a beat. I am beginning to understand what people talk about with teenage boys and their appetites!)

There were also many other talents: push ups, uno skills, fruit snack eating and piano playing.

Run a Race!

We inaugurated the first Judd/Lish/Hall family race around the block 

(.38 miles... I don't know how many "k's" that is)

Of course David won, but Haley was a close second. 

I came in last, but at least I finished :)

Thank you Summer to do list - We're having a blast!

Freezer Friday, Sanity Saver!

I don't know about you but my kids are always needing a plate of cookies to take somewhere... treat for YM/YW, fireside, sick friend, presidency visit... etc. They also love cookies during these long summer afternoons. 
One idea that I'm sure a lot of people do is freeze cookie dough balls. You can just make a few without messing up the entire kitchen or heating the house for very long. We have even been known to cook a couple in the toaster oven for cookie emergencies. 
It's very simple. Make your favorite cookie dough. (I've frozen many different kinds and they have all worked just fine.)

Use a cookie scoop to fill a large cookie sheet with dough balls.  Put cookie sheet in the freezer and let them harden. Pull sheet out of freezer and put 12-15 into quart size freezer bags, date them and pop them in the freezer. 

Next time your kids or you need a cookie fix (there could be a legitimate reason) pull one out of the freezer and put right onto the cookie sheet. Preheat your oven. Frozen cookies usually need to cook 2 or 3 minutes longer than normal.  

Put some ice cream between two cooked 
cookies to help you survive a hot summer day!

He'd better eat his Wheaties!

I noticed on one of my son's desk calendar that he's got a pretty big day coming up. 

I wish him the best of luck! 

Look Mom! I can roll over too!

Calvin is rolling over! It is so exciting. Our whole family cheers for him.

It is quite The Event.

 All my kids have done this, so it shouldn't surprise me, but it still makes me smile. 

Here is Tyler... "Look mom, I can roll over too! Take a picture!" 

We cheered for him too! :)

Warning: Potty humor

Here's a joke for you... When is the ONLY appropriate time to yell out "I've got diarrhea!"

When you are playing Scrabble of course!

Here's a cheap and easy decorating idea: Fill a jar with scrabble tiles (you may have them or pick a game up cheap at Goodwill) and write messages to your family. 

The "chill out" was for me... Maybe this way my scrabble game (or at least words with friends) will improve.

Freezer Friday... oooh Fajitas!

Another reason to use your freezer... save money! 

When something is in season or on sale it is a great way to take advantage of the sale. For example last week chicken breasts were $1.67 a pound, peppers were 3 or 4 for $1 and onions were 19 cents a pound. An easy way to use all those ingredients... Fajitas!

I chopped up the veggies and diced the chicken into bite sized pieces.

I marinated the chicken with some water and fajita mix... lazy I know but I haven't found a good fajita recipe I like. I used 5 pounds of chicken so I adjusted the recipe accordingly.

Put one pound of chicken into a quart size freezer bag and several cups of veggies into a gallon size freezer bag along with the sealed bag of chicken. Stack them in the freezer. When you are ready to eat it's best to let the chicken thaw before you cook it in a little oil in a hot skillet. Add the veggies (still frozen is best). This is a quick easy dinner on a busy night. The kits keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Happy Mother's Day

I know Mother's Day is over but... I wanted to share.