Grandkid's Rock!

Today's the day! Everthing has turned to Rock-n-Roll at 

Grandma's house for the Grandkids Camp Out this weekend.

Each of the gift bags have a Rock-n-Roll T-Shirt for the kids to wear at the camp out.

The table is going to become

"On the Rocks"

Juice Bar tonight at the Rock-n-Roll Dance Party

Our gathering activity is going to be an art project 

designing custom rocker guitars!

Busy day today. Stay tuned for more pics

Rock on!!!!

Disneyland Adventure

It's a fact.....two fifty something grandmas can have a blast visiting Disneyland without the kids! My younger sister who is just eighteen months my junior and I spent three days exploring and playing at Disneyland and California Adventure.

We squealed like the teenagers on Space Mountain and Indiana Jones. We laughed at the little aches and pains we suffered from the extra walking and the tossing and jolting of the attractions. We stopped and rested as needed, we ate when and where we wanted, and we shopped without needing to keep our eyes on anyone else. Our older sister referred to us as the "Golden Girls" visiting Disneyland. 

We were inspired when we met a ninety year old widowed man who was there alone in a wheelchair. He boarded It's a Small World with us. My sister and I have planned a return trip in thirty years in his honor. Our kids will most certainly need to help us remember our very long range plans! 

We both admitted that our thoughts turned to our grandchildren very often knowing how much fun they would be having too. Our time together was indeed "Golden" and we are still two very giggly and fun loving "Girls". So, I guess.... "Golden Girls" fits us just fine!

Maybe the Best Buy Ever!

I am heading to Disneyland and the weather forecast has turned wet and cold. I needed a couple more pieces of warm clothing for the trip. I headed to the store without much hope since the stores in AZ are already full of summer clothing. To my surprise I found two adorable sweaters on the clearance racks with original prices tags of $56 and $54 dollars that had been marked down to just $4.99 each. I snatched them up and headed to the register. It was an even bigger surprise when they rang up for even less. My grand total was just $8 bucks including the sales tax. That is a savings of $102.00!!!!!  That is my kind of shopping.

Hostess with the Mostess!

The other evening two of my granddaughters who are five and six came over to play with Papa and I. They immediately asked where the play food and dishes were so that we could play restaurant. They seated Papa and I and the over the top customer service, drinks, appetizers, multiple entrees, and desserts were prepared, served, refilled, and cleared.

During our time in their restaurant I asked the five year old hostess if she could show me to the restroom. "Most certainly" she said. She led me to restroom. She flipped on the light. I told her it was a lovely bathroom and I commented on the beautiful picture hanging on the wall. (It is a painting of a large english home.) Without hesitation she said; "Thank you. That painting was done in 1944. Since then my sisters boyfriend was playing with fire and he burnt the place down!"

So much fun!

A Grand Birthday Outing

I have ten birthdays to celebrate each year for my ever growing grandchildren. I have always tried to fit their gift perfectly to their current interests or to get them something that they can continue to use as they grow. This year I have decided to do outings with Papa and I instead of a material gift.

My oldest grandchild recently turned ten. We celebrated her birthday by the three of us attending the children's theatre production of Princess and the Pea together. I had pre-approved the outing and the scheduled date with her parents. The play was a couple of weeks after her birthday. The anticipation of the upcoming outing with us just added to her excitement. Each of their outings also include a meal out at a restaurant of their choice.

My oldest grandson just celebrated his ninth birthday. The movie Night at the Museum has sparked an interest in him to visit a museum. His outing is going to be a trip to the Arizona Museum of Natural History with Papa and I. I gave this very internet savvy grandson the website address for the museum so that he could check out what he could look forward to seeing in the museum. http://www.azmnh.org/Home.aspx

His little brother saw the website and said; "I want to go there!" It looks like we just might be visiting the museum again in July!

Science Lab Party

This was a very exciting event for a household of three little boys. My oldest grandson celebrated turning nine with his friends and brothers with a Science Lab birthday party.

My daughter and her husbands beautiful home was turned into a science lab for the occasion.  All of the high arches and doors into the lab had been covered with sheets of clear plastic.

The party guests arrived to a party bag that included an  ID badge, a pair of safety goggles, lab tools, and other fun goodies fit for a scientist.

With their lanyards around their necks and their safety googles in place the young scientists received clearance to enter the lab.

Each of the scientists passed through the plastic sheeting to enter the lab. There were several experiments waiting to be performed.

The boys had a great time playing scientist for the day. 

The boys were kept busy and very interested in everything that fizzed, grew, mutated, exploded, gooed, and in every other amazing lab result that they came up with. 

Everything was perfect from the invitations to the birthday treat. The birthday treat was an ice cream sundae lab. The toppings were in beakers. This very sweet lab experiment had extra delicious results!

  

Spring Party

A while back I shared a poster I made for a "Spring is in the Air" church activity. Well, today was the day. We had a perfect Spring day just as we had hoped. We had great attendance, families enjoyed an outdoor picnic on their picnic blankets, the children enjoyed the organized games of duck, duck goose, kick ball, the hungry wolf, and a potato on a spoon relay. The teenagers had a blast playing water balloon volley ball while the parents enjoyed visiting with one another. While the children were busy playing we were busy setting out the cupcake table as a surprise for them. Everyone enjoyed the yummy Springtime cupcakes.

I love being a part  of many working together to reach a common goal. Today was one of those days!

Pajama Party with a Twist

This Pajama Party celebrated my granddaughters 10th birthday with her friends. Pajamas were the attire and my daughter gave this pajama party a very creative twist.

The girls had a great time playing games such as Sleeping Beauty. To play this game one girl lays on the floor and pretends to be asleep. The other girls say things to try to make Sleeping Beauty laugh.

They doodled on the coffee table that had been covered in butcher paper with sparkly markers, played lots of games, danced, and they each made their very own fleece blanket.

Dinner was Pizza Pillows (pizza rolls) and a Bed of Lettuce (Caesar Salad). They also had veggies and fresh fruit and fun fizzy cocktails with hot pink ice cubes!  

Each of the girls received a gift basket filled with a pair of pink fluffy slippers, a flashlight, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, hair accessories, and a lot of other girly goodies.

The girls loved the birthday cake that my daughter made herself. It was created by making a double layer 9x13 cake and icing it to look like a bed. White sheets, pink comforter, and a hot pink dust ruffle. The pillows are made from Little Debbie Cakes. The little girls were created using vanilla wafers and colored icing to create their faces and hair. She borrowed Barbie's cat to place on the end of the bed. So cute.... All of the little party guests LOVED the birthday cake!

As things started to wind down for the night they watched a movie and had popcorn. The very smart twist to this pajama party is that it ended at 11 p.m. As parents arrived to pick up their girls each girl was given a parting gift bag filled with a juice box, donut holes, mini bagles, and a small box of cold cereal. The bag was tied with a "Z" shaped sugar cookie with a tag that "wished them to catch their ZZZZ's at home".

Rock Star Wrist Bands

This is going to be a craft at the Grandkid's Rock Camp Out. I was wanting to do some kind of Rocker wrist band. Today out of all things some Jesus slap bands inspired me! I feel kind of weird about changing Jesus bands into rock n roll bands but the price was right and I was planning to cover them anyway! (12 bands for $1.99)

The children will first cut a piece of glittered felt (I purchased two sheets of felt at .33 cents each)  the width and length of the band. I will have a big selection of odds and ends such as earrings, rings, keys, buttons, strings, buckles, feathers, beads, ribbons, and such that I have saved over the years for the little rockers to use to create their very own custom Rock Star wrist bands.

Once they decide on their design Papa and I will hot glue the chosen pieces in place. I can't wait to see what designs they come up with. The wristbands will be their ticket into the "Rock n Roll Dance Party" that is scheduled to take place in the courtyard after dark.

Cousins Sharing Some Silliness!

I gave each of the grandchildren a goodie bag at our Easter gathering. I had found these silly glasses sometime throughout the year and I tucked a pair (although not "Eastery") into each of their bags so that the cousins could share in some silliness.

Some used them for their magnifying power.

While others acted extra silly.

Most importantly, the silly glasses created a shared experience of extra silly fun among not only the cousins but also for the three older generations who shared in the giggles too.

Fun times!

Easter Blessings

We have all heard the phrase "like herding cats". This phrase became very well understood on Easter Sunday while trying to get a picture of all of the grandchildren together. They had all gathered their Easter baskets, got on their shoes, and were excited to get the Easter egg hunt started when the silly adults wanted to stop for a group picture!

We had had Easter lunch at my daughters house. The Easter egg hunt was down the street at my house. We  (20 of us) headed down together so the nine grands could search for the fifteen dozen eggs that had been hidden in our front yard!

The kids followed the directions perfectly to follow their uncle and Papa and not to run ahead. Once they got the "GO" they scattered quickly to search every square inch of our nearly half acre front yard. We had one area that was off limits for the older, more experienced, and skilled Easter egg hunters. The area was reserved for the littlest three grands.

The youngest toddler to the ten year old and everyone in between truly enjoyed the Easter Egg hunt with their cousins.

This little guy stopped searching long before the others to see and to share with his daddy what goodies filled his eggs.

Once again, it was like herding cats (this time wild cats) to get another group picture after the egg hunt. In fact, this photo is missing our youngest egg hunter. It was a good day that was filled with love and gratitude for both family and for our resurrected Savior Jesus Christ.

Flower Topped Cupcakes

These flower topped cupcakes were a big hit with the grandkids on Easter.  They were pretty darn impressed with my decorating skills!







They wanted to know all of the details on how I made them and how I was able to paint the sugar different colors. Even after learning how simple the cupcakes were to make and that the colored sugars had been purchased from the store I was still a pretty awesome grandma!

The kids loved eating the entire gooey treat.  The only downside (for adults) was that if you didn't want to eat the marshmallow decoration on top that most of the frosting came off with the flower.

Next time I will make some without the flower toppers.

Carrot Bars for Easter

This recipe for carrots bars is a family favorite. They can be served in the fall as a very close cousin to the traditional pumpkin bars or roll. 

I decided to make a batch for Easter since "carrots" do play a vital role on Easter for at least the Easter Bunny!  I am not a cake decorator but I added a few store bought decorations and speckled jelly beans to make this pan of carrot bars look a bit more "springy".

The texture and taste of these bars is the best I have ever eaten. This recipe was shared with me by a friend a few years ago and I am happy to pass it on so that it can be enjoyed by your family too.

Carrot Bars

4 eggs, 2 Cups sugar, 1 1/2 Cups vegetable. oil, 4 - 4 oz jars of strained baby carrots, 2 1/2 Cups flour, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. cinnamon.

Dump all ingredients into mixing bowl and and mix until well blended. Pour into large cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake @ 350 degress for 25-30 minutes. Cool. (can cover and freeze at this point.)

Frosting: 1/3 cup softened margarine or butter, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla. (cake can be frosted frozen) (you may need to add a tiny bit of milk for desired thickness of  the frosting)

Enjoy!

Happy Easter

I found these cute carrot gift bags at a local dollar store. Twelve bags for a buck.... what a deal! I filled them with a few goodies and a toy as a small Easter gift for my grandchildren. The three dozen filled eggs are being added to the grandkids twelve dozen Easter egg hunt.

I'm now wishing I would have picked up more of the carrot gift bags. Wouldn't they be cute as door prizes or a handout for a gardening or a nutrition class?  How about as a snack bag for the grandkids? Do you have any ideas? Please share your clever tag ideas too?

Easter Cupcakes

These very cute cupcakes are for Easter dinner dessert for my grandchildren . I first saw the idea in a Betty Crocker calendar of creative cupcake ideas.

I didn't need the calendar but I couldn't pass up the $1 resource of the fun and colorful ideas it was filled with. These cupcakes are my own variation to an idea in the calendar.

To create these cupcakes:

Bake 2 dozen cupcakes as directed on your favorite cake mix box.

Allow to cool. Make a butter cream frosting. Color the frosting as desired.

To create the flowers on the top: Cut large marshmallows (using clean scissors) into five even slices each to create the petals. Slicing the marshmallows creates a sticky side. Dip the sticky side into sugar. I made up all of my petals before I began icing and decorating.

Ice your cupcakes one at a time. Before the icing sets set the petals in place to form the flower. To create the centers of the flowers I cut jelly beans in half and anchored them with a tiny dab of icing.

I was especially excited to find a bag of marshmallows that had white, pink, and pink and white marshmallows for this project. I dipped the pink marshmallow petals in white sugar to give them some sparkle.

The original idea in the calendar was done using a white cake mix, white cupcake wrappers, bright white icing, white marshmallows, and pastel sugars were used to add color to the petals. They were done for a birthday and each flower had a white birthday candle in the center. They were beautiful!

This decorating idea is simple enough for the grandkids to do too. I'm thinking you could use the same marshmallow idea to create butterflies!  Can't wait to give it a try.

2010 Grandkids Camp Out Invite

Working on my invite design.... still needs tweaking to get the colors right. The event has been scheduled with the parents. Each grandchild gets their own invitation about a week before. The graphic is from one of the camp t shirts. So fun!