Turn out the lights...

 ...the party's over! :)
Way to go Green Bay!

PomPom Tutorial

These super-easy Super Bowl pompoms have become a tradition in our house. My kids can make them totally on their own now! Here is another tutorial with updated colors for this year's teams, or rather... team. (I refuse to root for the Steelers.)

You will need construction paper, craft sticks, scissors and tape.

Cut your paper into thin strips leaving a couple of inches at the top uncut.

 Thin strips work best, we've discovered!

 

Tape the edge of the paper to the craft stick.

 If you are using two different colors in one pompom, tape each piece to the craft stick separately otherwise, one of your pieces might come flying off mid-cheer!

 Roll up the rest of the paper onto the stick and secure the outer edge with more tape. Make sure you also tape it to the craft stick for extra security. You can choose to scrunch your pompom or leave it the way it is.

Now... CHEER!

Go PACKERS!!!

Can you tell my mood has improved? The sound of dripping outside is a balm to my soul, but not as much as leaving the house for the first time in four days to go to Mass last night!

Tuesday Randomness

1. Sunshine just finished Little Women this morning as part of her literature study. As a little treat, I let her spend some time on the computer digitally touring Orchard House, the family home of Louisa May Alcott. BigBoy, lover of technology, asked for a turn too. After making us all dizzy spinning around May's Room, he clicked over to the outside view of the house and remarked, "Wow. Were those all their cars?" OK... so we need a little more history in that kid's lessons.

2. The girls are also doing a little Texas History study this year using Catholic Texans as a guide along with a few other books along the way. On every other page, there are phrases or names to Google to help you expand your exploration. We have found some very interesting resources online namely this website which lead us to a page about La Salle and the artifacts his expedition left behind and also this page containing a map showing the location and time period of each of the Spanish Missions. Texas Beyond History has a plethora of information as well as a dedicated Kids Page with Fun & Games but was especially useful in providing a map to show the children just how an explorer like La Salle could have been more than 400 miles away from the mouth of the Mississippi and never know it. And this website with a section on the La Salle Shipwreck Project definitely wet our whistles for some more archeological themed research.

Do you ladies in other parts of the US do state history? I'm just curious. I only plan to spend a semester on it. Even though Texas history is very interesting and kind of unique compared to some other states, too many years of public school Texas history sucked all the enthusiasm out of me. (Thanks for that, Mr. Cates!) I am slowing regaining some of it thanks to these great resources and my delightful girls!

3. Our Fantasy Football Team might need a new quarterback for this weekend's games. Kevin Kolb is healing from a concussion and is tentative to play. The girls and I share this team in our extended family/friends league. They helped draft by choosing players with interesting names and pleasant smiles. You think I'm kidding! LOL! I couldn't even pronounce Visanthe Shiancoe's name when we drafted him! My choices are: David Garrard, Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford, Kyle Orton or Matt Hasselbeck. What do you think, ladies?

Super Easy Super Bowl Decorations

Pompoms!

If your kids are waiting for the game to start or are asking "Who?" during half time, grab some construction paper, scissors, tape and crafts sticks.

 

Cut a 9 x 12 piece of paper in half horizontally. Tape your craft stick about an inch up from the bottom. You want to make sure that your stick is taped to the paper or your pompom will fly off when you shake it! Trust me! Then cut long thin strips that stop just above the top of the stick.

Roll the paper tightly onto the stick.

 Secure with tape on the outside. Scrunch your paper if you want to. We left ours long.

Shake and shout for your team!

The girls put this together to surprise their Daddy! 

May the best team win!

What she said...

I have no spark in July. We endure July.... It's still hot in August, but in August we can see the end. It's actually still hot in September, but it's all mental, friends. We can hope for a cold front.

Here, my friend of the heart (and heat), is the one little sentence that my husband whispered into my ear before he left this morning. You may cling to it, as I am, in the hope of Fall's early arrival...

Cowboys training camp starts today!

If they're playing football, Fall is on it's way.

Super Bowl Munchies

My husband says it's not Super Bowl Sunday without this delicious dip. You will never eat bean dip from a can again...that is... if you ever did.

Touchdown Taco Dip
1 (16oz.) can refried beans
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (1.25oz.) package taco seasoning mix
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 C. green onion, chopped
1/4 C. black olives, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, minced (don't substitute with dried!)
1/2 C. cheddar cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread beans into a 9 inch pie plate. In a med. bowl, combine cream cheese, seasoning mix and garlic; spread over beans.Top with tomato, onions, olives and cilantro; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream if desired. Serve with taco chips.

Since you can't buy a small bunch of fresh cilantro, you might as well make this chilled dip to go along with the other. This one is my favorite!

Cool Gazpacho Spread

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
2 oz. (1/2 C.) cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, minced (don't substitute with dried!)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/3 C. cucumber, chopped

Combine cream cheese and sour cream; mix well. Stir in cheddar cheese, cilantro and garlic. Spread into a pie plate. Cover and chill atleast 2-3 hours to allow flavors to blend. Top with tomato, onion and cucumber just before serving.

I like to serve this dish with either baked pita chips or spread it onto warmed flat bread cut into small triangles. If you buy baked pita chips, I recommend the plain ones as opposed to flavored. You don't want anything interfering with the flavors of this yummy treat!

I love it when the unplanned comes together!

Yesterday, thanks to the amazing ladies at the 4Real Forum, I ransacked my craft closets to see if I had the materials to make these cute crayon pouches. We are going to be doing some activities this year that might require us to travel with our art supplies, but frankly... these things are so cute, I would have made them even if we weren't!

I had everything I needed to make one for each kiddo and even materials to makes some pencil pouches too. Later. Husband informed me too late that the boy pouches were the same color scheme as the Denver Broncos. Do you think he's ready for some football or what?

Tonight I am getting to spend a few hours with my dear friend and some other awesome homeschooling moms at a coffee shop. Yeah... no kids, good friends and coffee!! I'm spoiled, I admit it.

Since us girls were going to be "out on the town", the guys and kids decided to gather at our house. I wanted to make some snacks to keep the natives from getting too restless. Hmmmm... (cue the MacGyver theme song) Hadn't planned for this. Do I have anything to whip up?

A box of Rice Chex (that I mistaken bought the last time I made Puppy Chow for the kids... I prefer Crispix for that recipe) some chow mein noodles and a half a bag of broken pretzels and viola! The first batch was the standard version... worchestershire sauce, garlic powder, butter, seasoned salt. The second batch was my own creation... butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and sprinkled with turbinado sugar on top.

The kids should have fun playing and munching. The guys should be able to keep the volume down to a dull roar. I have been informed that the men will be setting up their fantasy football teams. Could September get here any sooner? Pleeeeeease!

Pride and Prejudice

There was a game yesterday that brought sadness and sighs from certain occupants of my house. So last night, realizing that we needed some cheering, I grabbed this from the DVD cabinet. It certainly did the trick!

I was happy and contented, smiling on the inside and out.

Husband...


...was out like a light!

At least he wasn't in pain anymore. Love you honey!