ten on ten :: may 2016

Ten on ten was started by this pretty gal.

mother's day 2016 : all up in da hood

Yesterday, we spent another fabulous mother's day in Hood River.

We started out with Pine Street Bakery, of course.


Then we walked from the Bakery down to a school play ground and hung out there for awhile.

                          

We finally bribed the kids to leave with the promise of fro-yo.

Then off to the play ground on the river where we played in the sand and water and all the fun play equipment.

We were so hungry and tired by the time we dragged ourselves across the street to Pfriem that I did not document all the amazing food and beer we consumed because I was too busy consuming it.

After dinner the kids had one last burst of energy, so we headed back to the park and played a bit more before getting the kids into pjs so they could pass out on the drive home.
Which they did.

It was such a perfect day.

PS the hood last mother's day, the hood the year before that, and a post from a year before that with pictures taken in the hood

date oat nut cookies

I've been on a date kick lately.

There is just something about the fact that they are a fruit, but actually candy, but actually a fruit.

So, I had to make them into a baked good.

And, oh, what a good baked good. Soft and chewy, with the extra sweet of the dates and crunch of the walnuts.

I thought I would be a little sad that there was no chocolate involved, but I am so very happy with the results. Go make them, and you will be happy too.

Date Oat Nut Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar together until creamed well. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla.
Separately, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture into the butter mixture a scoop at a time. Stir in dates and walnuts.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 9 minutes. They may not seem done all the way in the middle, but will be beginning to brown slightly. Let cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

PS this time, a few years ago: these were yummy!

elle's first haircut ever + exciting things

Yesterday, at almost three and a half years old, Eleanor received her first haircut.

I was a little nervous she would get up in the chair and freak out, as she tends to do in these sorts of situations, but she did awesome!

 

Actually, she did better than awesome. She ate up every minute of Mrs Aho (who she lovingly just calls "Aho") putting clips in her hair, trimming it, then styling it with a curling iron and braid. Elle was pretty much giddy with excitement over the girly-ness of it all.

Kaitlin is so great. She was so sweet with Elle, and even gifted her with a lolly pop and nail polish afterward for being so good.

Eleanor will most definitely look forward to her next visit!

PS the super exciting thing: I figured out how to merge this blog with my old one! So everything I have blogged since 2011 is now in one place, and I can do things like this:

PS- four years ago- a recipe

hot day activity: truck wash

In honor of the beautiful weather we have been experiencing over here in the PNW, I thought I would share a fun, simple activity that the kids and I did a couple weeks ago on a hot afternoon. 

It all started with some cheap shaving cream and a bucket of water. Add a tub of toy cars, several big trucks, and excited kids and you have yourself a truck wash!

My kids adore water play, but I think they really liked doing something a little different from the usual scooping, pouring, and dumping of water. They seemed to really feel productive "washing" all those cars. Even if they weren't completely clean, they sure smelled good after the wash!

The kids have requested to do this several times since. Now I'm trying to think of other things around the house that they could clean this way!

PS one year ago- the meal plan for the whole stinkin' month of May!