Buster Bars Gone Bad

At the "last minute" we had some of our closest friends over for an afternoon of snow play. We roasted marshmallows around a bonfire, went trekking through the woods, and took lots of rides behind the snowmobile! ("We" being "they"... as you can probably guess!) We ended the day with a big pot of chili and a hot pan of cornbread to warm us all up. I hadn't thought too much about dessert, but knew we had a couple boxes of DQ buster bars in the freezer that would suffice just fine!

Who doesn't like a buster bar right?!

Well, I should have consulted with my husband on the idea... because he knew that they had melted a bit, and then refroze to the current state they were in.

At first glance they looked fine...

... but look at them from a different angle and you get a clear picture of the melting/refreezing thing!

 It's a really good thing our friends love us... because they certainly aren't coming due to our stellar dessert menu! ;)

"Fossil" (aka Rock) Discovery

Winter has been messing with us this year. Over the last month our temperatures have been all over the map!  -45 degrees F to 35 degrees F and back again!

On this particular day the weather was reasonable and I decided to suck it up, don my long johns, and get the kiddos bundled up to spend the afternoon outside. Besides being reminded that I have a VERY strong dislike for winter... I have to admit, it was okay! I'm glad to stay in my role as the "hot chocolate provider" but it was good to get outside a bit... and appreciate the indoors that much more!

We did the best we could sledding down the small snow drift in the back yard, we played on the play structure, we went for sleigh rides around the yard, and then the girls decided it was time for a "fossil hunt."

Their goal was to uncover the rock in our front yard... 

... and to my surprise it kept them entertained for quite some time!

I tried bribing them with hot chocolate and visions of a warm house to go in to... but there was just no stopping them, they had to get to their goal!

So Caidrie and I made several more loops around the house while the girls dug...

... and soon they struck the mother load!

Little did these explorers know..

... that the weather would do a good job of uncovering their rock for them, only to have it covered, and uncovered several more times since then!

Winter in the Canadian Prairies... ya never know what you're gonna get!

Just 'a Swinging

The hour before supper is the CAH-RAZIEST hour at our place. Never fails that the most fights will be fought, the most tears will be shed, the most toys will be tripped over, the most requests will be made, and the most "deep breaths" will be taken over that 60 minute period!

Well this day was no exception. The littlest lady wanted to snack on anything in sight, the middle was whiny, and the oldest was bossy... and I was not only trying to get supper ready, but also get myself AND a host of snacks ready to head out with some ladies for the evening.

I had seen the idea (on Pinterest, of course!) of hanging a Sleepy Wrap from the table as a kids hammock... and it seemed like as good a time as any to give the idea a try!

I simply got out my wrap, tied it tightly around the kitchen table, and let the girls have at it!

** Just a heads up, my middle maiden is a "free spirit" when it comes to clothing, she thinks that wearing just panties is completely acceptable attire! We're working on it... but it's clear that her and her sister are warm blooded Canadians! Their internal temp. gauge is ALWAYS "too hot!" **

We had to tighten it some more (which I did AFTER these pics were taken!) since they weren't getting much clearance...

... but even then they were still having a great time!

And when they were finished, out came the babies to get a ride too!

It was a good reminder to me that when the day gets to be a bit much, sometimes all it takes is a little creativity and a little distraction to boost the attitude levels a bit!

And considering I love my Sleepy Wrap way to much to pass it on... I think I'll be keeping it around for quite awhile... who knew it had so many uses?! :)

Spring Fever

Spring fever... my oh my, we've got it going on around these here parts!!

I've never experienced it quite like I have over the last month or so!

The girls are literally bouncing off the walls (or their sisters, or the couch, or their little mini trampoline) with energy!

If only I could bottle up that energy and take it at oh say.... 4:30 every evening... I'd be a new woman!

When they came up from the basement the other day decked out in their rain boots and umbrellas, it confirmed the suspected...

... Spring CAN'T come SOON enough!!

Pudding Painting

Every day is craft day at our house. Our girls think every hour is the "perfect hour" for a new project. And every minute I feel like I'm tidying up from one craft to the next!

On this particular afternoon, pudding painting was the activity of choice! (And yes, painting in a swim suit in the winter is totally the way to do it!)

We simply made some vanilla pudding and then added food coloring to make the girls preferred colors.

I gave them a plate to create their masterpieces on, and away they went!

It was a hit! 

And if the spoon isn't cutting it... or your fingers are too slow...

... just shovel the pudding in with your whole hand!

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Either way, this is one project that I have two very eager helpers on when it comes time for clean up!

You Know her Magazine MUST be Good...

... when there's an untouched plate of fresh off the griddle pancakes sitting beside her!

There are certain squeals of excitement when Clubhouse Jr. arrives in the mail each month...

... and some cold pancakes, by the looks of things!

Finally...

... the temperatures are becoming more bearable (that -40 F stuff was REALLY getting old... fast!), the snowsuits have been donned daily, the snow mobile is revving again, the hot chocolate is flowing...

... and the smiles are too!