He Can't Crawl, but He Can R-O-L-L!

Gray is unlike any of our other two boys. Big C began crawling and wanting down at around 6 months. Huds crawled only for a short time between 9-11 months. Baby G doesn't crawl at all, he only rolls. My mom says he gets it from me - she says I would roll like a tootsie roll across the floor. Well, that's exactly what Gray does - he rolls.

We will place him down on his mat, in the middle of the floor - the next thing we know - he's into the dining room, on the tile by the fireplace, or wedged in the corner of the coffee table.

Our pediatrician says "crawling is not a milestone" - as long as he gets from one place to another somehow - either by crawling, rolling, or scooting. OK - he does get around, and he is able to get anything within reach or grasp!

Here is a short clip I managed to snag last night, as he was rolling to grab his toys and Big C's backpack!



Our sweet Baby G, "Will you ever crawl?"

Craisin Apple Salad

I have to give credit to my friend, Megan for this one. A few years ago, she introduced me to this awesome salad at our Christmas potluck - I fell in love! I started making it for family dinners and holiday meals, and my Mom has requested that I make it at every meal we've had since.

You will need:
1 pkg of Romaine hearts
1 pkg of spinach mix
2 or 3 Braeburn apples
1 16 oz. pkg of feta cheese crumbles
2 cups of crushed pecans
3/4 pkg. of craisins

For the dressing:
1/2 cup of oil
1/4 cup Honey Dijon or Honey Mustard
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar

What to do:
Toast pecans for approx. 10 minutes at 300 degrees in the oven.
Dice apples into small chunks
Mix Romaine hearts, spinach mix, Craisins, feta cheese, apples, and toasted pecans in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients until well blended: oil, honey mustard, apple vinegar, and sugar.
Just before serving, add dressing and blend well together.

Enjoy!
This is a beautiful salad that I am sure your family will love!
Thanks again, Megan!

Two Boys and a Ball

Don't let them fool you - they are not always this precious looking!

My big boys are typically pretty good boys; however, let company come over and they TURN ON! - and I don't mean just a little bit! They (especially Big C) tries to get away with anything he can - doing flips, running through the house, bouncing balls, - WILD! Today was no exception!

We had my parents, sister/Adalyn, and grandmothers over for Granny's 84th birthday. Little H has a brand new blue bounce ball that he got from the store yesterday - let the fun begin!

I sent my sister upstairs to snap a few shots of my big boys with the blue ball...........









And this is what she managed to capture...........two perfect, WILD boys!

The End to Another Season

In just the 2.5 years that Big C has been playing sports, we have seen the end to many seasons. We have seen the end of cello and swim lessons, the end of soccer and baseball seasons - today was the end of Upward Basketball season. I gently encouraged Will to coach Big C's first Upward basketball season and he graciously agreed - with the help of Poppy (who knows a "little" about basketball). Between the two of them, surely they could manage eight, eager and anxious kiddos who were excited to learn to play the game and just goof around! I would say, they did a pretty good job - for their first time around!

Competitiveness and aggressiveness are NOT part of Clayton's personality. Will says "He's not my child!" - Oops - must be my fault??? We have to convince (or bribe) Big C to take the ball, keep the ball, and then SCORE! He has improved (when he's focused), but most of the time, we're the parents yelling from the sidelines - Come on Clayton, get the ball! Shoot! Don't let him take the ball! Rebound!- you get the idea. Though basketball may not be his "thing", I am glad he was able to share in this experience with Will and Poppy.







At the end of each game, Poppy shares a devotional for the team. Little H gets to join in the lesson. - He thinks he's BIG!



A small glimpse of the sidelines each week!

Friday's Fab 5 - Top Mommy Magazines

Clayton's school has been selling magazines for the past two weeks - so this got me inspired to write down a few of my all-time favorite magazines! I love receiving magazines in the mail! Often I only get to skim them - choosing my most favorite crafts, party ideas, parenting tips, etc. Here are my top 4 "must-have" Mommy magazines.



1) Family Fun - My friend convinced me to begin subscribing to Family Fun a few years ago when Big C was little. Since then, I have skimmed over 100 issues. I get tons of family crafts (holiday ideas and treats), party ideas (tasty snacks and fun games), and parenting tips (do's and dont's). I absolutely love getting this magazine in the mail each month!



2) Parents - This is an awesome magazines for expecting parents, new parents, or more experienced parents. This magazine is your answer to any question: "When do I start baby food?" "How do I get my child to sleep more consistently?" It also provides nutrition information, pregnancy tips, post-baby information, - just whatever! It's a great resource with tons of information. This magazine also provides fun crafts, party ideas, and family-related activities.



3) Parent&Child - Another great parenting magazine. Somehow, I began receiving this magazine at school for FREE a few years ago and I absolutely love it! This is a great magazine to discuss a child's learning and development. This magazine provides varieties of resources, activities, and games to help enhance your child's vocabulary and skill development. I look forward to checking my mailbox each month to get this great magazine!



4) Parenting (School Years) - As I mentioned before - Big C has been selling magazines for school. This is a new magazine that I have chosen to take a peek at. Clayton will be starting 1st grade next year and heading into public school, so I thought I might need some insight into the whole "school" world. Yes! - I am a Kindergarten teacher, but this whole "parent" thing is entirely different. This magazine is supposed to focus on the challenges that Moms face with school-age children. I can't wait!



5) The Jesus Storybook Bible - I thought I would stay with the theme and share one of my favorite books to read to my two big kiddos each night. My sister introduced me to the Jesus Storybook Bible, and I haven't put it down since. Big C and Little H love reading Bible stories from this Book! It tells each Bible story, with incredible illustrations, and is able to tie each story back to the coming and life of Jesus. It is simply amazing!

Oreo Balls - Straight from Grandma's Kitchen

My mom makes the best Oreo balls! She has made them for family occasions, small group nights, and treats for Dad! We all love them! This recipe is straight from my Mom, "Grandma."

You will need:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. almond bark squares or 2 pkgs. white chocolate, melted
1 regular-size pkg. Oreos
dash of salt

*Will bought the white chocolate (by mistake) last time and they were extra delicious!

What to do:
Crush Oreos finely either in food processor or with rolling pin. Thoroughly mix crushed Oreos, cream cheese and dash of salt together and refrigerate until firm. Take out and roll into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper and refrigerate appropriately one hour. Melt almond bark (or white chocolate) in microwave in a glass bowl on High for around 2 minutes. Dip each ball in the melted coating and place on waxed paper until firm. Refrigerate in covered container.

Try out these yummy treats - you will be so glad you did!

~ ~ ~

On another note - Big C was assigned a president to study during his Kindergarten Presidential unit. He was assigned President William Howard Taft. Here is a sweet picture of him, typing his first little report on the computer last night! He did such a great job!

Wordless Wednesday - Batman is Sleeping

Truthful Tuesday

This is my first "Truthful Tuesday" - so here it goes........

1) I did have Huds sing this song at least 5 times, in order to get a great video where you could hear all of the words.

2) I truly enjoyed my day at home with two sweet little boys, even though Baby G is terribly sick and Little H is headed down the "sick path" also.

3) I love spending days off, watching endless amounts of cartoons with the kiddos - Chugginton, Clifford, Caillou, and Jungle Junction are some of my favorites!

4) I did let my mom come over the help with the laundry today, even though I was home. (......Like I said, I had two sick boys!)

5) I did let Hudson eat lunch at the coffee table and take a nap in his Batman mask because he was not feeling well today. (two things my mom would NEVER do!)

6) I think I have guilted Will into NOT going to the gym tonight. (It's been a long, hard days - two sick little boys........you know)

7) I am blogging while my husband is mopping the kitchen - I am terrible!

8) In my defense, I did cook dinner, clean the kitchen, and finish the laundry my mom had started.

Ok,.......I think that's enough honesty for today!

Something I Know a Little about..........Discipline

With three busy boys, we have to have some sort of order and discipline in our home. I am definitely not the "Queen of Discipline", but I do have a few tricks that Will and I use to keep our boys "somewhat" behaved.

1) PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!!! We praise Big C and Little H constantly for all the things they are doing right! "I love the way you are sharing your toys!" "Thanks Hudson, for picking up your room!" "Clayton, thanks for getting that bib for G!" I know it sounds silly, but it works! They do want to please,......sometimes.

2) Count to 3 - I know this is a discipline controversy - (how your kids should obey the 1st time), but, let's get real - they don't! at least always obey the FIRST time. But they do obey! When the boys are having a hard time, I do count to 3. 1,.......2,........(and by then, they have done what I ask). It usually doesn't go any farther.

3) Toys to timeout - Toy sharing is sometimes an issue at our house - and when it is, the toy goes to timeout. If they can't share the toy, then they can choose something else to play with for a time. After a few minutes, usually they have forgotten about the toy and have moved on to something else.

4) Money Jars - I saw this idea and copied it. We love it! Big C has 3 jars (Giving to God, Spend, Save). When Big C earns money from a special task or chore that he has done, he receives a small reward for his work and can place it in a jar. Being a kid, he does often want to place his money in the "Spend Jar". We just gently remind him, that he will need an offering on Sunday and after all, "It is God's money, first!" He has responded really well to this jar system.



5) Time-out - just like it sounds! We don't really have a certain time-out place. I am fortunate in that Huds will walk himself to "time-out" and sit on the stairs until I call for him to explain "the incident". When Clayton was a toddler, we were not so fortunate! Clayton would sit in the kitchen chair - throw a tantrum, kick his feet, rock the chair (a real angel). But it does work, and we use it with both kiddos.



6) Spanking - YES! we spank! It is a last resort, but sometimes, there's just no other alternative. With the big incidents, or simply repeatedly disobeying, we will spank the boys.

Here's a little insight into what works for us. Discipline is ongoing and isn't always perfect, but it does pay off in the end. Here's to 3 happy, well-adjusted boys!

A Sweet Sunday

I love relaxing, Sunday afternoons with family - and this afternoon was no exception. Today, Nana and Pops invited us to the local chocolate festival. And.....knowing how we all love chocolate, we were there! Booths and tables of cakes, brownies, cookies - who could resist???



Not Huds (sporting his cool shades), returned to the chocolate booths several times, accompanied by Pops, Daddy, or Austin.



Or Clayton (munching on chocolate ball), managed to find the only non-chocolate items there - ice cream, goldfish crackers, and crackers/cheese. - He's my kid!



And Gray (recovering from a cold) was just along for the ride - Except for the occasional chocolate that Daddy or Pops would place on his passy!

Our family had a blast!
We finished our afternoon by visiting the park near our house!
It was a bit chilly, but the boys had a great time! As Little H puts it: "I go play on the playground!"







Wrapped in a blanket, to block him from the wind, our Baby G took advantage of the swing and fell asleep. I think our afternoon wore him out!

A Tribute to My Toothless Big C

This past week, Big C has lost his 3rd tooth! His mouth looks more like a sweet jack-o-lantern at this point, and tooth #4 is very loose! My sister keeps saying "how big" he looks. I have been thinking back to my sweet Little C and rummaging through old photos.



You would never know it, by these sweet pictures, but Big C was definitely a difficult baby and toddler. When he was born, Will was working night shift and going to college, I was teaching, and our house was in total chaos! Big C didn't sleep through the night until he was 18 months old! - and that was only after we put him into a twin bed. It was a rough year and a half!



Big C has always had a special bond with my sister. I think it's because Will worked so much during those early months, and she did come over EVERY night and just hold Clayton to give me a break. Aunt Shannie and Clayton spent those nights reading stories, having photo shoots, and just spending time together! I was, and still am, thankful for Aunt Shannie!



After Little H arrived, Big C completely ignored him for about a week. Then (once he realized Hudson was here to stay), Big C has become the best big brother! Today, they spend days playing in the sandbox, playing basketball, Legos, and work puzzles together.



Big C has always been a "busy" boy! He seems to have endless amounts of energy! He runs, hops, leaps, jumps - you name it!



He is definitely our inquisitive child - always wanting to know "why" and "what's that?" His big, bright smile can make any day! He thinks he is sooooo funny and brings so much laughter to our home!



Here is my Big C - and the many more teeth to loose and laughter to come!

A Daddy's Must-Haves - Friday's Fab 5

I don't get to mention Daddy Will very often on my blog. It seems that we, as parents, often get overshadowed by the kiddos! This blog is all about Daddy and the must-haves of Will (Daddy of 3 busy boys).

1) The Jeep - After we had Hudson, Will was dying for a 4-door Jeep Wrangler. Since we only had the two boys, our family of 4 (then) fit perfectly. Little did we know that 4 months later, Baby G would be on the way. In the summers, the top comes off, doors are removed, and 3 wild boys drive through town in style. Sunglasses and hats in tow.



2) The Bike (complete with child seat) - Now that Big C can ride his big boy bike on his own, Will, Big C and Little H spend many sunny afternoons riding bikes together.



3) All Balls - Will loves sports! And, thanks to him, so do our boys! From football, baseball, basketball, and golf. We spend a lot of time outdoors playing sports. I have even found myself (9 months pregnant)and playing pitch with Clayton. And occasionally you may find me on the basketball court out back!



4) The Wii - Thanks to Aunt Shannie and Uncle Mark (who donated their Wii to our family) we now have a Wii. On rainy and cold days and nights, you will often find our bonus room looking like this..........



5) Baby Trinket of the Week - Classic Baby Beads



Since this week's focus was on boy toys, I thought this fit perfectly. The is another Manhattan toy (found at select Barnes & Noble stores). Gray loves to twist, chew, and roll this brightly colored, adorable toy!

Here's Something Chocolate!

My mom started making chocolate chip cheeseballs for showers and family parties several years ago. My sister and I absolutely love them! So naturally, any party or special occasion that I host, you bet there is a chocolate chip cheeseball somewhere in the spread!



To make this chocolate treat - you will need:
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter softened (do not substitute with margarine)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature mini-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 finely chopped pecans (optional)
graham crackers (I like the chocolate sticks)

What to do:
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, roll the cheeseball in pecans (optional). Serve with graham crackers.
Makes 1 cheeseball - about 2 cups.

Enjoy your chocolate treat!

Wordless Wednesday - Two Crib Critters

Slugs and Bugs - A Kid Concert

I have mentioned the famous "Slugs and Bugs" CD on here before (Top 5). It has become Big C and Little H's favorite van music.
Hudson: "God me me, like the sea, ok?" - "Yes Hudson, we will play the God Made Me CD."

Well, Randall Goodgame (singer and songwriter) came to our church this past weekend! The boys were ecstatic! And I have to say, Will and I were pretty excited to take them to their first kid's concert!





Big C got to invite two of his close buddies, William and Caden. The three musketeers had a blast! - Even with Little H tagging along!



I was so excited that even my parents, Aunt Shannie and Adalyn were able to join in the fun!



These wild 4 boys (minus Gray, who fell asleep during the concert) and so many other children had a fun-filled afternoon of dancing, singing, and just simply acting crazy! It's that what kids are supposed to do? Singing and dancing while learning about the truths of God! How much better can it get?



I am so thankful for a church that is so incredibly family-focused!

A Tasty New Treat!

So........., I have seen adorable cake pops all over the internet! A few of my friends have even tried these adorable bite-size cakes on a stick. Naturally, I thought I would give it a try. I have to say, there were scrumptious, but they were quite a bit of work! I'm still not quite sure they were totally worth it, but they were a hit at the Daniels' house!

Because I was making these cake pops for Big C's school Valentine's Day party, I decided to use red velvet cake for these bites.



I have never made a homemade, and I wasn't about to start last night - so, I used a red velvet cake mix and followed the directions. After the cake had cooled, I used my hands to mash up the cake into crumbles. Then added about 12 oz. of white frosting (from a can). Mix and blend thoroughly with your hands!


(YES! It was messy!!!)

Mold the cake mixture into small balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and place on cookies sheets. This mixture made two full trays of red velvet balls. Refrigerate the cake balls for about an hour, until firm.

*You will need a large piece of Styrofoam for the next part*
After they are firm, you need to place the stick into the flat side of the cake ball and secure with a dime-size amount of chocolate around the stick. After each stick is secure, you will place back into the refrigerator until the sticks are securely in place.

I used approximately 4 bars of melting chocolate for this next step. After the sticks are secure, it is time for dipping. Hold each pop by the stick, and dip into the melted chocolate. Placing each pop back into the Styrofoam to catch the chocolate drippings. *You will need to decorate the pops as you dip, before the chocolate has a chance to harden.* After each pop is dipped, decorated, and placed back into the Styrofoam, the cake pops will need to be refrigerated again for another hour. This will allow the chocolate time to harden.



After the cake pops are hardened, I wrapped each pop in a small cellophane bag and tied a small ribbon around it for decoration.



I have to say - they do make the perfect bite-size treat!
Happy Valentine's Day!