"Jeet!!! Jeet!!"

 We splurged! We got The Goob a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Not the real thing of course, but a Power Wheels Jeep. We live in the perfect spot for a Power Wheels- it's flat and we have grass and pavement aplenty. Plus, no neighbors nearby to get annoyed with us. It came in yesterday (we had it shipped to Jesse's work since the mail isn't delivered out here) and Jesse put it all together before we went to see it. The Goob looked at it, and in total awe said, "Oh Gosh!! A Jeet!! Wow. A Jeet. Oh Gosh!" over and over and over. Once he realized it was his he was jumping up and down. The battery wasn't charged, but he didn't know he'd be able to drive it yet, so it didn't matter. He was thrilled just to sit in it and turn the "dials" and pretend to drive. We put The Bean in the passenger seat and they were in fits of giggles. It was pure joy to watch.

 Today we went and saw it again at daddy's work. This time, he got to drive it. As Doc from the movie Cars says, Hot Snot! He was beside himself with glee. He still hasn't quite gotten the whole steering wheel and pedal thing figured out, but that will come. He's having so much fun!

 

Bean hasn't been left out, don't worry. The Jeep is a two seater, and he and Goobie have been happily switching seats back and forth (when the car isn't turned on!). They're absolutely loving it.

Anyone else own one of these? What do you think of it? Any stories to share? :)

An Experiment

The Goob was in a good mood this morning, which was lovely. That good mood lasted through his normal nap time. Occasionally he stays up a little past his nap time, so I thought nothing of it. I kept waiting for him to get tired, but he never got tired. He was chilling on the couch, true, but he wasn't showing any classic toddler signs of needing a nap, and he wasn't saying he was tired. He normally does. (He's a bit abnormal... he loves to sleep) So I thought, "Well, okay. Maybe he's just done with napping now." HA. No. Not even close.
The Bean woke up from his nap and I was ready to go into town, so we got ready and hopped in the car. Okay, hopped may not be the right word... but nevertheless we wound up in the car. It was a beautiful day, so I thought we'd go to the park. On the way there, The Goob conked out. I mean conked. The moment we started driving his eyes closed and he was out. I drove around for a while, thinking that some was better than none. (That's true... but....) When we got to the park I woke him up and we walked over. There were a few kids there and it's a park he loves -both important- but he just stood there.
The Bean was ecstatic. Kids! Playthings! Dirt! He was more than ready to join in. That was cute to see, but didn't change the fact that his older brother was not at all enjoying his time there. We stayed for a few minutes. The Bean played with the mulch (thankfully he refrained from eating any, a miracle in itself) and The Goob continued standing there, silent. Then he turned to me, the most desperate look on his face and said, "Carrr?". The poor little man was just exhausted.

Lesson learned- The Goob is not ready to give up his afternoon nap. He's been an interesting mix of mopey, whiney, slap-happy, and zoned-out.

It's going to be an early bedtime tonight, seeing as how he's right now curled up on the floor, wrapped in a blanket watching his favorite movie.

How old were your kids when they stopped taking naps? I'm curious, because a friend of mine's daughter quit her naps at 2 years. The Goob is 3 and still very definitely in need of his nap. Did your child stop napping due to necessity (day care schedules, etc.) or by choice?

Silly Goob Clips

My template for the blog doesn't work so well with YouTube videos, so if you can't see everything, try watching it on YouTube instead of here. :)

The Bean

We're on YouTube! Make sure to check us out! The Goob and Bean on YouTube!

Crafty Kids- "Canvas" Painting

This is perfect for an inexpensive party activity or just for fun by yourselves.

Materials Needed:
1 Chinet paper plate per child
Poster paints or water colors
1 paintbrush per child
1 fine point marking pen (Sharpie)
Empty yogurt cups or disposable cups with water (to rinse brushes)
paper towels

Prep:
Before the party - Be sure that you have enough plates, brushes and cups for the children attending, plus a few extras.
Before you begin - Set the work table with a water cup, a paper towel (to dry the brush after rinsing), a "canvas" and a paint brush for each child. Supply paints for children to share.

How To Make:
The kids can paint their own "masterpiece" on their "canvas" and set it aside to dry. At the end of the party (when they are dry) let them sign their work with the fine point Sharpie, just like the pros! ;-)

Ritzy Snacks

Today was a rainy, dreary day. We spent most of it out and about, at playgroups and a speech evaluation and then all sorts of errands. When we got home the kids went straight to their beds for naps, but once they awoke, we needed an indoor activity. Something simple, but fun. Something... yummy?

These scrumptious little buggers are as easy as they are delicious. They are perfect for kids who want to help in the kitchen, and mothers who don't mind a bit of mess. The quality time and change of pace are both wonderful for you, and your child.

Ritzy Snacks

What you will need:
2 bags of chocolate chips
A jar of creamy peanut butter
One box of Ritz snack crackers
2 squares of paraffin wax (if you have it) to add to the chocolate to make it set better. If you don't have it, just keep them refrigerated.

Directions:
Spread a generous amount (but not too much) of peanut butter between two Ritz crackers, making a sandwich. (I do about two sleeves worth of crackers) Set aside. Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring often. Add paraffin (optional) and stir.

Using a fork or tongs, dip one of the sandwiches into the chocolate, covering both sides. Let excess chocolate drip off, then set on wax paper to cool. When chocolate has set, you will be able to easily remove the Ritzy Snack from the wax paper. (I usually put them in the fridge to speed the setting up, and I store them there as well)

*Children can help spread peanut butter and put crackers on top of the peanut butter. If your child is old enough and you are comfortable with it, they can also help dip the sandwiches in the chocolate. Use your judgement.

Getting the Sillies Out

The kids and I have been sick these past couple of days, and we've all been quite grumpy because of it. Nobody likes being sick! The Goob wasn't in the mood to hang out with The Bean and me, so he went off into another room to play. A few minutes later, he emerged carrying a paper shredder. I didn't even know we had a paper shredder! He asked me to help him take it out of the box, so we took it out and inspected it. He was very proud of his discovery, but was perplexed because it didn't turn on when he hit the button. I showed him how you have to plug some things in before they'll work, and he was fascinated. Then we turned on the shredder and put a few pieces of paper through it. This kept us entertained for quite some time! He kept running around the house finding paper, and I would tell him if it was okay to put through the shredder or not.
When he was tired of running around (he's sick after all) we sat down and stirred the box of shredded paper. Because my boy is 3 years old, the next logical step for him was to throw it all up in the air and pretend it was confetti. My first thought was, "No!! Mess!!", but then I thought, "Who cares? Maybe a mess is exactly what we need!".
So what did we do? We made it bigger! We shred more paper and had a blast throwing it up, letting it fall, rolling around in it and being very, very silly.

The moral of the story, if there is one, is that sometimes you just need to let go. Have some fun, don't worry about the mess. The memories are worth it!

Healthy Food- Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

I've been trying to eat better myself, and consequently, I've been making healthier food for all of us. Here is  a recipe for home-made pizza dough, using whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:
-1 teaspoon white sugar
-1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 110 degrees F/ 45 degrees C)
-1 tablespoon active dry yeast
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 teaspoon salt
-2 cups whole wheat flour
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Bake time- 20 minutes
Rise time- 1 hour and 45 minutes

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all the flour has been absorbed and the ball of dough becomes smooth- about ten minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to completely coat the surface with oil. Cover loosely with a towel and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size- about one hour.

When the dough has doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two pieces for thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for another forty five minutes, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then drape it over both sides of your fists and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.

Bake for sixteen to twenty minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges and the cheese is melted on top.

Healthy Food- Whole Wheat Pancakes

Give your kids a healthy start by making them these delicious whole wheat pancakes! 

Note: This makes a dry mix that you can store. There will be leftover dry mix, so make sure to read the directions that follow.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Dry Mix Ingredients:

8 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

cinnamon/nutmeg to taste

To Add To Dry Mix:

3/4 cup skim milk (or buttermilk)

1 egg

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, making sure to evenly distribute the baking soda and powder. 

When you're ready to make fresh pancakes, whisk wet ingredients together and add 1 cup of the prepared dry mix. 

Crafty Kids- Slime!

These past two days the kids and I have been stuck at home. My car battery was dead and my hubby was at work... we were going nowhere. I generally try to get the kids out of the house at least once a day, so they were extraordinarily grumpy at not being able to go. How to cure the crankies? Craft time!! Here is a simple but fun activity for kids of most ages. Include your child in as many steps as is realistic for their age.

Slime 
Ingredients
- 1 glass mixing bowl
- 1 rounded teaspoon of 20 Mule Team Borax (sold in the laundry isle of most grocery stores)
- 8 ounces white school glue
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- 15 drops food coloring (if desired)
- 1 airtight container (zip lock bag or tupperware is fine)

Directions
- In the glass bowl, stir 1 cup of warm water with glue and food coloring.
- Dissolve the Borax powder in the remaining 1/2 cup of warm water.
- Add the Borax mixture to the glue mix -making sure all Borax has been added- and stir until the lump stops forming. Stir vigorously for another 20 seconds.
- Remove the lump of slime and knead it with your hands to dry it and complete the reaction. In about 2 minutes or so, you should be holding a ball of wonderful slime that pulls clean from your hands.

Your slime is now ready to use. Store it in an airtight container.

For older children- Bounce it off a table to show that it acts like a solid. And then, leave it to relax into a puddle on the table to show how it acts like a liquid.

Please Note: This recipe produces slime that is non-toxic, but should not be eaten.

(Pictures forthcoming... my computer is asking to be thrown out the window)