Scary Face Painting!

The boys wanted me to paint their faces. They have always been hesitant to get it done in public places like the zoo or fairs. So we got online and they got to pick out what they wanted. Of course Miles wanted to pick the scariest faces ever! Nana Toni says Miles picked the scary one because it is opposite of his personality. Take a look;)

Mojostock 2011

Here are just a few pictures from the 2011 Mojostock Festival held at Noblesville's Sleepy Bear Campground.

Marc and I trying to keep in the shade.

Someone was painting outside. I thought that was pretty brave.
I like to paint, but not in public in front of everyone.

There always has to be a VW van to officiate the festival.

The big cool barn:)

This guys name is "Space Boy". He was a very friendly guy in a kilt and enjoyed squirting everyone with his super soaker!

Pillow Case Dress

Look at my cute little creation:) I made these for some friends who were having girls. So cute! I tried to make one for myself but my booty was too big for the size of the pillowcase;)

Summer Veggies

We decided this year we were going to have an awesome garden! Here are some awesome things that have grown so far. It was really easy too! I couldn't find a picture of the entire garden with the raised bed style of growing, but here's what it produced.

Green Beans!

The corn isn't finished yet, but look at it!!! Corn growing in my backyard!

I think I should print this picture and sell it to a garden magazine;) I like the repetition of the long vertical shapes and the contrasting colors from the burnt red deck and the green zucchini. ;) (That's the art teacher talking there.)

Lettuce. This lettuce has a pretty string taste. It was black seeded lettuce.
I'm gonna look for something different. Looks pretty, tastes too healthy...

Zucchini still growing. I think they grow over night.
One day they aren't there, the next they are.

This is not our corn. But it is Indiana corn. I snapped a picture of it because it looked to cool on my hubby's mom's plate. She made me dinner after I mowed the grass down at Smith Ridge-there country place.

Excited about all this produce!!!
Now I just need to look up some more recipes for yellow squash, zucchini, and spaghetti squash. I also got some cilantro plants because I can't wait to make some salsa when the tomatoes come in.

Squash Casserole

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:

25 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

55 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 cups large diced yellow squash and zucchini
• Vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon House seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup crushed butter crackers (recommended: Ritz)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute the squash in a little vegetable oil over medium-low heat until it has completely broken down, about 15 to 20 minutes. Line a colander with a clean tea towel. Place the cooked squash in the lined colander. Squeeze excess moisture from the squash. Set aside.

In a medium size skillet, saute the onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and mix all ingredients together except cracker crumbs. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Super Hero Birthday!

A few weeks ago I was pondering Miles' birthday...I didn't know if I was going to have a tiny little family party or if we should have a "big" birthday party. I decided on a "big" party. Miles has been talking about what he wants for his birthday for a few months. You know how kids are when you walk through a store and they say, "I want that toy!", and parents usually say, "Well, maybe for your birthday or Christmas, whichever is closer. So I have been asking him what he wants for his upcoming birthday and he kept saying, "I want Incredible Hulk stuff." The thing is, he doesn't have any Hulk stuff and I've never really seen his friends have any either...hummm?

So that's when I decided that we could have a superhero party since the Hulk is a superhero. I thought I could make a Hulk cake and that would just make Miles' day:) I could even buy him some Hulk stuff for his birthday (but they didn't have any Hulk stuff at Target or Toys R' Us so that didn't exactly work out.)

As I began my birthday party Bing image research. I found a ton of cute ideas and decided that I would make cupcakes. (I've been obsessed with cupcakes since I had my first cupcake shop experience when Marc and I took a trip to Chicago about a year or more ago). Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-man, Batman, and Captian America. This was a whole education to me-superheros:) Marc of course knew all of the super-heros.

I also found these super cute super-hero printouts to create Tootsie Pop Heros;)
Buildings and little superhero cut-outs that you can't see very well. I had about 6-7 superheros stuck up on the wall...then Marc came home and made about 10 more...he really knows his superheros and villains too. It must be a guy thing;)
Mom and Aunt Marty, partners in crime, were the first to arrive...duh...duh..duhhhhhh!

Little brother has to get a gift too!

Time for dinner...spaghetti!

Presents!!!
Look how excited he is!!!
Miles' new friends having fun with water balloons!!!Masks and capes were provided! Some even wanted to change characters a few times.

I Took His Hand and Followed

I Took His Hand and Followed

Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.