October 27: Visit to the Dentist

The boys had their second trip to the dentist today and it went well!  The pediatric dentist we visit is fabulous!  Tysen actually let the hygienist take x-rays this time!  Both were cavity-free once again! :)

October 25: 10 Minute Cookie Bars

These are quick to make and great to eat! 

10 Minute Cookie Bars

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 cups quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Melt the butter.
2. Mix the brown sugar and oatmeal in a bowl.
3. Pour butter over sugar and oatmeal and mix.
4. Press oatmeal mix into a 9x13 pan.
5. Bake for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
6. Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a pan on the stove top.
7. Spread over the baked oatmeal.
8. Chill and cut into bars.

From takethemameal.com

October 23: "D" Verse

"...do to others as you would have them do to you."  Matthew 7:12

Another one from Steve Green's Hide 'Em In Your Heart  series.  We play these in the van and the kids are great at singing (and saying) the verses!

October 22: Another Birthday Party for Tysen

 Ty's final birthday party was with a few friends.  He wanted a Dinosaur Party!  We played Caveman, Caveman, Dinosaur (think Duck, Duck, Goose), Feed the Dino (Bean Bag Toss), Dinosaur Tail where the kids wore a "dino tail" and knocked over a stack of boxes, Find the Dino, Dino Says (like Simon Says), read dinosaur stories, and colored dinosaur pictures.  Overall, the event went well and ended with a dino feast of Dino chicken nuggets, rainbow jello, carrots, chips, and dirt dessert with dino crackers.  Happy Birthday, Tysen!

Can't you hear the dinosaurs roaring?

October 20: Sandpaper Leaves...or Not

I thought these Sandpaper Leaves were a perfect fall craft!  Ty did not agree so much.  He decided to do his own craft with markers, glue, and stickers and had a grand time completing it.  I know it's great to let kids explore and create using their own ideas, but I have to admit it's a little disappointing when he doesn't like the ideas I have.  So I made the sandpaper leaves and he made his own creation, and we enjoyed each other's company while working!

Brielle helped me select the colors for the leaves.

October 18: Birthday Oreo Cupcakes

 HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY, TYSEN!!!

Tysen requested Dirt Dessert for his birthday "cake" this year.  So we had it for his party on Sunday, and we'll have it again this upcoming weekend for his party with friends, so for his actually birth-day, I thought we should have some kind of cake.  We had plenty of Oreos for the Dirt Dessert, so I went online and found these Oreo Cupcakes (although the direct link no longer works!?!).  I thought a little variety in sweetness would be just fine.  They were a hit with the family!

Oreo Cupcakes

• Devils Food or Chocolate cake mix
• Eggs (number specified on back of cake mix box)
• Oil (amount specified on back of cake mix box)
• Water (1/2 - 1/3 of the amount specified on the cake mix box)
• Milk or Buttermilk (1/2 - 2/3 of the "water" amount specified on the cake mix box)
• 24 Oreos
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream (for frosting)
• 3 Tbs. powdered sugar (for frosting)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla (for frosting)
• 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (for frosting)

1. First, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Carefully pull Oreos apart (one side should be plain cookie which can be crumbled to use in the frosting and one side with frosting).
3. Place the frosted halves of the Oreos cream-side-up on the bottom of the lined-muffin cups.
4. Put the eggs, oil, milk, and water together in a bowl and mix them with the cake mix.
5. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3-3/4 full over the Oreos.
6. Tap the pan gently on the counter to settle the batter.
7. Bake according to the directions on the back of the box.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
9. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
10. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.





Oreos on the bottom.

Frosting

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff.
2. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs. 
3. Frost cupcakes or scoop mixture into a piping bag to frost.





Excited about getting started!



Tysen's been perfecting his egg-cracking skills.



Reading the recipe.

October 16: "C" Verse

"Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right."  Ephesians 6:1

I love that Tysen sings this song along with the Steve Green Hide 'Em In Your Heart song of this verse! :)