Doldrums...defeated

It happens every year so why does it seem surprised when it does, why am I taken aback for a few days? What is "it" you ask? I call it the summer doldrums, doldrums is a nautical terms that refers to an area of calm, but in colloquial usage, "being in the doldrums" refers to being in a state of listlessness, despondency, inactivity, stagnation, or a slump.

So every year when the temps reach 100 the doldrums set in, hence no menu this week. Honestly I haven't really wanted to eat this week and boy does my refrigerator show it!

I usually call this particular mood uninspired so this year I decided to fight back and inspire myself...the result this cute shirt for Ella

I really like embroidery and applique it's a great thing to do while watching TV and it's so rewarding to get done and say I made this. It was so fun making this that I already have a few more projects in the working. Lookout everyone you'll be seeing these for birthdays and Christmas!

Things changes

I love making menus and planning what we will eat for an upcoming week but sometimes I just have to be flexible and let things change as our week changes. This week our actual menu has turned out nothing like what I planned.

One of those changes was kids cooking night, they decided they wanted to make spaghetti and meatballs so we changed our plans.


Instead of making basic Spaghetti and Meatballs we made Spaghetti All' Amatriciana with Mozzarella Meatballs. get the recipe


The kids love cooking night, I break up the meal into parts and each one gets assigned a part. Last night Caleb was on making sauce and Ella on meatballs..they both got in on the meatball rolling.

These are not our regular meatballs each one has a piece of mozzarella tucked inside YUM!

Proud kids with the dinner they cooked!

This was a yummy dinner!
I am using kids cooking night as an educational time, it is great for Caleb to read and follow directions and work in a little math here and there. Cooking with kids is fun...try it.

EAT like the Loudons

On the table this week

Sunday-Slow smoked Beef Brisket, Roasted Rosemary New Potatoes, Corn on Cob, Slaw
Monday -Flounder with Lady Pea Succotash
Tuesday - KIDS Cooking night - Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice and Black Beans, Mango Salsa
Wednesday - Church
Thursday - Grilled Sausages, Fried Squash, Vadilla Onion Rings, Fresh Tomato Salad
Friday - Pizza

Kids tell it like it is

So Saturday night Dan decides we are going out to dinner then to Yogurt Mountain for dessert. If you don't know what yogurt mountain is let me fill you in, it is a self serve frozen yogurt (I use that word lightly) shop with I think like 15 different flavors to choose from and probably double that of toppings. You fill your cup pile on the toppings then the moment of truth...45cents an ounce...ouch!

So we pack up the kids in the wagon and head out 280, after dinner and some light shopping we walk on over to YM. Excitedly we fill our cups with flavor combinations that don't really work once they melt together in the bottom of the cup and head outside to enjoy. After eating his yogurt down to the last drop, scraping out the cup, and even tipping it up tapping out the last drop Caleb puts down his cup and says "I'm gonna exercise tomorrow." The lady sitting next to him chuckles thinking this is funny. I reply with "that's what I keep saying I'm gonna exercise tomorrow."
Caleb looks right at me and says "mom you never exercise" I thought the lady next to him was going to fall out of her chair laughing. "Your right Caleb. "

Super Mario Birthday Party

So the Mario Party has come and gone and my little boy is 8 now YIKES how did that happen? Sometimes when I am working on an epic party like this one I wonder am I crazy why do I take all this on? The answer to that question is simple because time flies way to fast and my children are growing up right in front of my eyes and epic parties like this one will be a great memory for him.
So how did the birthday go? To quote Caleb "That was the best birthday ever!"...success!

Here's the Birthday Boy now we know what he'd look like with a handlebar mustache...it works. The fabulous cake was made by my sister Paula and as you can see was incredible!

Our plan was throughout the party the kids would win coins for the various games then at the end of the party they would cash the coins in for prizes...this is our prize table.

Upon arrival each child picked a coin box inside the coin revealed if they were a Mario or a Luigi then they got their hat and mustache.
The week before his party Caleb drew, cut, and colored Mario decorations..he was very serious about this project Good Job Caleb!

Wii play station the kids took turns as they arrived

Yoshi eggs for a game called Yoshi egg smash I cracked a small hole in the eggs, shook out the insides, cleaned them, and filled them with confetti and a few with gold stars. The kids then smashed them against a wall to see if they got a star and won a coin. I can't believe I didn't get a pic of the smashing!

All our Marios and Luigis and of course Princess Peach


Dan was our official Bowzer in Bowzer Tag

Now on to some of that yummy Mario cake

And finally to destroy the pinata I spent all week gluing, but all those layers of news paper paid off because it took a lickin!


The stick broke before the pinata did!

It was a great birthday and I think everyone had a great time, but most of all Caleb had a GREAT 8th birthday!