February's country focus- *USA*

Here are some more great recipes. Enjoy!



Squash Casserole (taken from CopyKat) ******



4 1/2 C. Zucchini (diced)
4 1/2 C. Yellow Squash (diced)
1 1/2 C. Yellow Onion (chopped)
1 Box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (prepare as directed on box)
1 1/2 Stick of Butter
8 oz. American Processed Cheese (diced, use a store brand not Velveeta)
3 Cubes of Chicken Bouillon
1 tsp. Garlic (minced)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1 Tbsp. Parsley (chopped)

Prepare Jiffy Mix as directed, set aside to cool.Place zucchini and yellow squash in a large sauce pan and add just enough of water to cover. Cook on medium low heat just until tender, remove from heat. Drain squash, reserve one cup of water for casserole. On medium low temperature place all of the butter in large sauce pan and saute the onions until the onions turn clear, add salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley . Add chicken bouillon cubes and garlic to onions, stir. Add drained squash and diced cheese, stir. Crumble corn bread in squash and pour the reserved cup of water and mix well.Place squash mixture in a 13"x11" baking pan that has been sprayed with a none stick spray. Cover casserole and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes. Remove cover the last 20 minutes of baking time.

Versatile Chicken (from ISBN#1-56173-798-4)*****

1 pint buttermilk

2 tablespoons chicken flavored bouillon

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

3 pounds of chicken

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup melted butter

In a bowl big enough to marinade with, mix buttermilk, bouillon and oregano. let stand 10 minutes. Add chicken, stirring to coat. Let soak for 30 minutes. In a plastic ziploc bag, combine flour and paprika. Add chicken a few pieces at a time. Shake to coat. Arrange chicken in a baking dish. Drizzle chicken pieces with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden. (note: I cubed my chicken pieces because I like the crunchy crust. Also, I broiled the top of the chicken for about 3 minutes, to make it even crunchier)

Crunchy Potato Bites (an American twist on a German recipe)*****

2 cups very stiff mashed potatoes

2 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham

1 cup shredded cheddar or swiss cheese

3/4 cup mayo

1 egg, beaten

1 t. mustard

1/4 t. pepper

2-4 T flour

1 3/4 cups crushed cornflakes

In a bowl, combine potatoes, ham, cheese, mayo, egg, mustard and pepper, mix well. Add just enough flour to make a stiff mixture. Chill.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls & roll in cornflakes. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen. (recipe taken from February 2008 ed. of Home Cooking magazine)

Enjoy!

First Day

We had a fun-filled and exhausting day. We did so much!! It was 80 degrees outside, so the kids ran through the sprinkler for awhile. We talked about cats, colored a cat, and recited a rhyme about cats (I recited it, and they were all off in their own little world- I guess they thought that I just like reciting rhymes to myself- hahahaha). Rebekah and Joshua were only here for 5 hours today, but starting on Monday, it will be for the whole day Monday through Friday. Plus, very soon, we will, also, be having a baby joining the party. Nathan will start as soon as his mom finds a job (he is 2 months old).

Today went pretty well for a first day. I was surprised to find that the one that I counted on to be so big, and that I thought I wouldn't have to worry about- was the very one who took it the hardest (Jaden). It's hard to share your mommy. She had a bad day. Every small thing that happened (even if nothing happened) was enough to push her over the edge. Poor baby!! I am glad we will have 2 days to bond before it starts full-force next week.

Dancing at Chuck E Cheese

Jaden was really dancing for awhile. She danced through 4 songs by the time I got the camera out. This was the 5th song. I think she was getting tired because she started to do more jumping than dancing. You would think she would be really tired right now, but she's not. She is running all over the house playing tag with Morgan (and it's 10PM). Oh, well. At least they are having fun. I sure hate to be the one to break up the party...

Dancing videos

Morgan was dancing to my ringtone (Back at One by Brian McKnight), so I decided to video tape her. I, also, got a video text that has a song that she likes to dance to. That's what these videos are about. Also, for those of you that aren't around the girls a lot, here is a list of some of Morgan's words and phrases (I am putting the word the way she pronounces it first, with the translation second):
Ha Lo- hello
I you- I love you
peas- peace
ka ka- cracker
The rest of her words are pretty easy to understand.

Alone time

I just bought this cool play yard for the kids on Ebay a few days ago. The girls like it, especially, Jaden. She uses it to get time to herself & keep Morgan from tearing up what she is playing wirh. My thought was that I could have the kids get in there with some toys while I fix lunch- That way, they won't be running 4 different directions through the house. Now, it will be even more beneficial because it turns out that I may be watching a baby as well. So when it is the baby's tummy time, I can put him/her in the play yard & the kids can't mess with the baby. I'm glad I still have all of my baby things from Morgan and Jaden(like the exersaucer, travel crib, and play mat). I am off to bed now, but be on the look out for the recipes that will be posted at the end of the month, with this country's focus. Good night!

So much to do...

I haven't written in a couple of days. I've been pretty busy with the shopping (the job), volunteering, and get stuff done around the house. I went to the World Vision experience: Step Into Africa (that I blogged about a month ago). I volunteered at that for 4 1/2 hours. It was a great experience. For anyone who has been or who is going, the child's experience that I walked through was Babirye from Uganda. There are 4 different children's stories, so if you want to see it all, you really have to walk through 4 different times. Each experience lasts about 20 minutes. After I did my walk through, the volunteer shift began. I was placed in the Health clinic. Everyone that goes through the experience winds up in the health clinic to find out if they are HIV+ or HIV-. As people would come up, I had to stamp their hand with a big red plus sign or a black negative sign. It was interesting. It was sad. We are so blessed. If you get a chance to go, they are on tour now (going all over the country).
Today my mom came by to help me with a project that the girls are putting together for mother's day (for all of the grandmothers). We did that project, and a whole bunch more. We got so much done!!! By the time she left, I was EXHAUSTED!! I think I'll turn in early tonight. Good night!

I need everyone's help, please~

Anyone who can help me, please help. I will begin my miniature day care next Friday. The Monday following that, I will be going at it full-time. My idea is every week I will focus on a different letter, number and country. For example, the first week would be the letter "A", the number "1", and the country of Australia. The next week word be b, 2, and Belguim... And so on. I need help with some recipes for the country noted for that week. They should be pretty simple recipes, that I will be fixing them for lunch, as well as any recommended snacks. So, any of you who know about a certain country and can provide some recipes, please e-mail them to me (with a note as to which country is being represented). As I use the recipes, I will post them on the blog. Any simple recipes that you like that are just American recipes are great, too. I will need all that I can get as I try to provide a variety of experiences for the children. Thanks to everyone who decides to participate!!

A Theme Park in a small city

This is one of those "snap & go" amusement parks (where the rides get snapped together on-site). We saw this is the parking lot of the mall of one of the shops. Jaden begged me to let her go on the rides... But, I love her too much to put her on one of the rides that may collapse at any time. I guess I have heard too many horror stories. She was mad at me, but we didn't have to make a trip to the ER (so I am happy)!!

Buffalo Wild Wings

Ok, mystery shopping really isn't all that bad. It was a busy day, but I got to spend the end of my night with my family. The last shop was for Buffalo Wild Wings. The girls got balloons, and handheld games that they couldn't figure out (but it kept them busy anyway). The girls ate mini corn dogs, I had ribs (the worst I have ever eaten), and LeCount had a jerk chicken sandwich. The customer service was superb, but the food wasn't very good. Maybe we ordered the wrong thing. I don't know, but I bet we will figure it out after doing a few of these "shops".

Mystery Shopper

One word- Worn out (OK, that was two words)!! Some of the mystery shopping just isn't any fun (not that work is intended to be fun). The past few days have been horrible for mystery shopping. Today was one of the worst, but I dread the next couple of days as well. I guess my mood goes right along with the weather because it is drizzly and dreary outside. Grey and bleak.
Today I had to shop a bank, a sunglass shop, and a restaurant. Now that I have done that shopping, the reports for them loom before me. I just have to keep plugging along because the work that I do now will provide money for our household next month or April. Mystery shopping is hard to do because you rarely get an immedite reward for your hard work. My payment for these shops probably won't be here until April, so it's not like a normal job. The other thing that is happening is that there aren't a lot of the high paying mystery shops out right now, so I have to do many more shops to make the same amount as one shop would normally pay.
Tomorrow I have 2 theatre shops (those are some of my favorite shops), and then, I have merchandising to do at Target (tagging clothes)... Oh, yeah, and the other bank shop that I didn't get to today. Saturday is 3 retail shops.
LeCount had a second interview with a mortgage company today. Hopefully, that will pan out. He is, also, supposed to be interviewing with a cell phone provider soon. We'll see.

Some pictures from Tuesday and Wednesday

Zodiac Signs

I received this in an e-mail. I was surprised to see how many of these signs match up with the people that I know, and myself. Does your sign match your personality? FYI- LeCount is a Virgo, Jaden a Leo, and Morgan and I are Aquarians:

CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be Unfriendly at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they Want.

AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric personality.

PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful.

ARIES - The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19) Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. & nbsp;(Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.

TAURUS - The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous.

GEMINI - The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable But needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Like change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. May seem superficial or inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally.

CANCER - The Protector (June 21 - July 22) Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.

LEO - The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22) Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help Others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the right thing is important to Leos. Attractive.

VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager.Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.

LIBRA - The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.

SCORPIO - The Intense One (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive.Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional.

SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out.

Snapple's Real Facts

Check this out. A lot of these facts are really quite interesting:
1. A goldfish's attention span is 3 seconds (some people have the same attention span)
2. Animals that lay eggs don't have belly buttons
3. Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water.
4. Slugs have 4 noses.
5. Camels have 3 eyelids.
6. A honey bee can fly at 15 MPH
7. A queen bee can lay 800-1500 eggs per day.
8. A bee has 5 eyes (I guess they have the eyes in the back of their head like parents do)
9. The average speed of a housefly is 4.5 MPH (that;s why they are hard to swat!!!)
10. Mosquitos are attracted to people who just ate bananas (uh, oh! Morgan is in trouble!)
11. Flamingos are pink because the eat shrimp (don't eat too much shrimp)
12. Emus and Kangaroos can not walk backwards.
13. Cats have over 100 vocal cords.
14. Camel's milk does not curdle.
15. All porcupines float in water.
16. The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1 (now who came up with that one? I don't remember getting on a scale to be checked)
17. A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
18. A jellyfish is 95% water (but don't underestimate the power of their sting- it is not watered down!!)
19. Children grow faster in the spring.
20. Broccoli is the only vegetable that is also a flower.
I'll add some more facts later. There are hundreds. If you would like to check them out for yourself, here you go: http://www.snapple.com/#page=realFactsId^realFacts^^Type^overlay^^Src^swf/RealFactsContentWindow.swf^^

Bring your kids to work day

It's not really bring your kids to work day, but as I was looking at these pictures that I took today, it made me think. I am so blessed to be able to take the kids to different jobs that I do, and to be able to stay at home with them. Jaden helped me "shop" the Wooden Swing Co. She loves this shop, but it never lasts long enough for her. When we left there, she was crying because she didn't get to slide enough times. Well, it was still nice having her around, even if she was mad at me for making her leave after only 45 minutes.

Mom Test

I got this in an e-mail today:

I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
'Why?' my daughter asked.
'Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty, and probably has germs' I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, 'Momma, how do you know all this stuff, you are so smart.' I was thinking quickly. 'All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mom Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mom.'
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. 'OH...I get it!' she beamed, 'So if you don't pass the test you have to be the dad.
''Exactly' I replied back with a big smile on my face.

Banana baby

Patrice, Andrea and Aunt Sally came by for a visit yesterday. They brought the girls some presents, and the girls entertained us with their antics. Patrice brought a banana for Morgan, since she heard that she likes them. I gave Morgan half of the banana, and she proceded to stuff it all in her mouth (likeshe usually does). Patrice took this picture of her... The puffed out cheeks are full of banana.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

More hail!! I woke up to the sound of hail this morning. This is the second time this month we've had hail.

It's my dad's birthday. He would have been 57 today, and he passed away 25 years ago. I still think of him often. Happy birthday, Dad!

Because I have been given much, I too, must give...

The title is from my favorite hymn of all time. In fact, I just googled that line, and I found this great organization. You might want to check this out: http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2006/11/01/because-we-have-been-given-much-we-too-must-give/
For those who do not know the song, these are the lyrics:
"Because I Have Been Given Much"
Because I have been given much, I too must give.
Because of thy great bounty, Lord each day I live.
I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see,
who has the need of help from me.
Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care…
I cannot see another’s lack and I not share-
my glowing fire, my loaf of bread-my roof’s safe shelter over head,
that he too may be comforted.
Because I have been blessed by thy great love dear Lord,
I’ll share thy love again according to thy word.
I shall give love to those in need. I’ll show that love by word and deed,
thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love to do for others. There is a new book out there that I am reading. I just started it yesterday. It is called "Why Good Things Happen To Good People". Anyway, here is an excerpt from the book. You can, also check it out online at: http://www.whygoodthingshappen.com/home.php

Enjoy the excerpt:
*Giving in high school predicts good physical and mental health in late adulthood, a time interval of over 50 years! Psychologist Paul Wink of Wellesley College studied nearly 200 individuals who have been followed closely since the 1920’s, when they were children, and found that giving protected longevity as well as mental health even half a century later.

*Giving significantly reduces mortality in later life. In this new study from Doug Oman of the University of California at Berkeley, 2,000 individuals over age 55 were studied for five years. Those who volunteered for two or more organizations had an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying. The only activity that had a slightly higher effect was to stop smoking. And sociologist Marc Musick of the University of Texas at Austin found that individuals over 65 who volunteer are significantly less likely to die over the next eight years than those who do no volunteer work.
*Generous behavior reduces adolescent depression and suicide risk. The Institute sponsored four special studies on teens. Boys, in particular, benefit markedly from feelings of love and from generous behavior. Just as intriguing is a study from David Sloan Wilson and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, showing that teen girls are more giving than teen boys, and that teens who are giving, hopeful, and socially effective, are also happier, more active, involved, excited, challenged, and engaged than their teen counterparts.

*Giving quells anxiety. Neal Krause of the University of Michigan followed 976 churchgoing adults over a period of three years. Offering social support to others reduced their anxiety over their own economic situation when they were under economic stress.
Late in life, giving to others helps facilitate self-forgiveness. Krause also found that giving is a potent trigger for forgiveness, and particularly for African-Americans. He studied nearly 1,000 older adults and found that providing emotional support to others enhanced the ease with which African-Americans forgave themselves for their own mistakes.

*Giving to others increases your longevity, although receiving the same kind of help did not. Psychologist Stephanie Brown of the University of Michigan spent five years studying 423 older couples. After adjusting for age, gender, and physical and emotional health, Brown found that those who provided significant support to others were more than twice as likely to remain alive in that five year period. These surprising findings ruled out other factors like personality, health, mental health and marital relationship variables.

*Giving is so powerful that sometimes even just ‘thinking’ charitable thoughts helps us. The simple act of praying for others, Neal Krause found, reduces the harmful impact of health difficulties in old age for those doing the praying. A new study from the National Institutes of Health shows that merely making a decision to donate to a charity increases activity in parts of the brain that release our feel-good chemicals, dopamine and serotonin. And a new Harvard University study showed that just watching a movie of helping activity boosts the immune system.

Valentine's Day

Another Valentine's Day is coming up tomorrow. LeCount and I celebrated yesterday. After years of experiencing Valentine's Day on the actual day, we have figured out that it is cheaper and less stressful to celebrate on a different day. Yesterday, after we spent the morning with the kids at the gym, LeCount took Rebekah and Joshua back to to their house, and I took Jaden and Morgan to Grandma Leslie's house. Then, we met up at Pappadeaux. We had a lunch (I actually ate an appetizer), and then, we went to the matinee. We watched Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins. It was funny and even romantic, so it was the perfect Valentine's Day movie for us. Then, we went back to the Marr house to see our children. Tomorrow, I will give LeCount his Valentine's cards from me and the girls... and that will be it for our Valentine's Day. The day really isn't that important to me. I guess because of everything else that is going on. We have fun every day, so it's just another day. It was nice to have 4 hours to ourselves, though.

An hour at the gym with friends

I didn't get to take as many pictures as I usually do, and after we had left, I realized that I hadn't taken any pictures of Jaden. The reason is that we brought Rebekah and Joshua with us, so I was trying to keep track of 4 kids going 4 different directions. They all had a blast, and the girls are so excited that Rebekah and Joshua will be staying at our house during the day (starting in about 3 weeks or so). I hope we will get to go on a lot of outings... If I can teach them all to stay together, or maybe I can find a four-seater stroller. Anyone know where I can get one of those? I need it to be able to fold up and fit in the car, too. Let me know.

Playing at the mall... again

I took them to play at the mall again today. The reason that we went was because Children's Place had flip-flops for 2 for $5. I had gotten a pair for Morgan, and she wore them for the first time on Saturday when we went to the zoo... Well, wouldn't you know it... She lost a shoe!! So, her first day of wearing flip-flops and she doesn't have any more. Since they are 2 for $5, I decided to pick up two pairs... And, if she happens to lose a shoe, maybe it will be the right foot shoe, and I will still have a pair (to go with the one I have from Saturday)- since I have a left foot shoe... and I will have an extra pair for an emergency.

So, anyway, they played for a little while at the play area there. Tomorrow, we are off to the gym to play at the rec center, and we are taking Rebekah and Joshua with us. That should be fun.

This looks dangerous

We keep a blanket in Morgan's bed, so that she can keep warm...

But, when I went to check on her during her nap, she had her blanket wrapped around her head. That can not be safe!! I took a picture of it, but I took it off of her head, and she was fine (don't worry). It it stuff like that that scares me. She is old enough to get herself out from under a blanket, but why would she leave it wrapped around her head? No more blankets for her for awhile... she'll have to stay warm just with her footed pjs.

But, she said that she wasn't sleepy...

Jaden really pulled one over on me this time. I told her that we would go to the mall to play after her nap. She laid down in the bed, but 30 minutes passed by and she was still awake. I told her that if she didn't go to sleep, we wouldn't be able to go play. I thought that would do it, but 30 minutes later, she was STILL awake. I asked her what was going on, and she told me that she wasn't tired, so she couldn't fall asleep. Since she had tried to fall asleep for an hour, I let her go ahead and get up. 30 minutes later we were at the mall, and this is what she was doing. Seems like she was tired after all. I guess she'll go to bed early tonight.

Another trip to the zoo

Bryan and Amy decided to go to the zoo today, so we decided to go again. LeCount and Morgan didn't go with Jaden and I earlier this week, so it was a first for them. I know I put a lot of animal pictures on the last zoo post, so I am keeping this one with mostly humans. We took the train again, and spent the day walking through the zoo. The group was all of our family, plus Bryan, Amy, James, Edwin (Bryan's co-worker), and Jessica and Madison (Amy's sister, Kelly's, kids). We had fun, but the kids were worn out. If you look closely at the picture of Morgan in my lap, she is sound asleep.

Spontaneous humor by Jaden

For everyone that doesn't know, here are some of the things that Jaden does (so that you can better understand the hilarity of the next few scenarios). Jaden talks to herself. She asks herself questions, and then answers herself. She, also, doesn't know the difference between yesterday, and 5 months ago, or next year and a few minutes from now.
So, just a few minutes ago, while Morgan was stuffing her mouth with a banana, Jaden said, "Morgan, you have banana all over your face. We are going to have to wash you face this year!"
At the zoo, she was talking to the monkeys (she doesn't wait for them to talk back). She asked the monkey, "Monkey, is that your family? It is? Great! I have a family, too. Right, mommy?"
There are so many other things she says at random. I will plug them in later, but at least I have provided a reference on some of the things she does. Now, when I tell you about a conversation she has had with herself, you will understand.

Coloring together

Well, my blogs are not going in chronological order. I forgot about these pictures from this morning. Morgan has been watching Jaden take her baby for a walk in the stroller, and now she does it, too... The only difference is that Morgan puts the baby on their hear instead of their bottom. Hahahahaha!! Then, later on, they decided to color. Please ignore their hair. They had just woken up about 30 minutes before, so they were still in their PJs and had bed head.

Cousin meeting

We just had to get out of the house today. It was in the 50's, but the wind really made it feel cold. Since I knew we couldn't play outside, I decided to take the girls to the mall to play in the play area. Amy happened to call asking if she could meet up with us this afternoon, so it worked out perfectly. We met up with Amy and cousin James at the mall, and the kids played and played and played. They had fun. Once the big kids got there (after school let out), it got more dangerous with them running around. We packed up and headed out of the play area around 5 PM, and then, we just walked the mall for another hour. It was fun, and I always look forward toi getting so exercise in where I can. I accidentally let my camera at home (which I never forget), so I have to get the pictures from Amy. As soon as I get them, I will update this post with pictures.