Freeloading

We love our friends Jaime & Justin, and we love the pearls of wisdom Justin has shared throughout the years. He has a gift way with words. We like to incorporate them in our daily lives. Some that have stuck over the years are:

“I can’t take you anywhere.” (Preferably said to another grown adult)

“Dad tax” (can be used on anything from Halloween candy to treats from parties or church)

& his most recent and profound:

“These kids are a bunch of freeloaders!” (How true is that, especially the older they get!)

But Addie has finally pulled her weight. She read enough AR book to go her schools AR pizza and ice-cream party where her name was picked for a $25 Coco’s gift card. She reluctantly happily treated our family to a yummy breakfast this past weekend.

Way to go Addie, now how about a fun paper route?

Balls!

Everywhere I look I am seeing balls.  I guess that's what I get for being a blog lurker.  So I decided to try these yummy looking treats for myself.  Jason thought the name "cake balls" didn't fit.  His suggestion was "cake truffles", but considering you use "almond bark" instead of actual chocolate as a coating, I thought that name was like polishing a turd. (A phrase I learned from Jason that surprisingly fits many situations: like mopping  linoleum, or washing the minivan, you get the point.)  So then he came up with "white trash truffles", but that doesn't fit either.  There has to be a better name, something in the middle.

So here is my first attempt, I made German Chocolate Cake Balls.  I am excited about all the different combinations out there, if only someone could come up with a great name.

Think Smarter, Not Harder

That is what my principal used to tell our staff back when I taught in Utah.  She was a wise woman.  I forgot her advice and told Elli she could have a sleepover for her 9th birthday.  It started at 6 with making dinner (since it was on a Sunday night I couldn't just buy pizza).  The girls were soooo noisy we sent them outside.  After feeding them they played double bubble, again, and then onto crafts.  Next, cookie cake (thank you Aunt Cami), and then S'mores with Jason.  Following treat #2 jammies were on and we were on to game #2.  Then we started the movie and painted toesies.  Time for treat #3, popcorn and licorice.  I still can't figure out why they were totally wired at midnight with every intention of staying up ALL night.  So I got un-cool and curled up on the couch and waited until they all fell asleep.  Total fun-sucker, I know, but I was exhausted after hosting a 6 hour party.  

 

I hope you had fun Elli, because Dad said for every friend you invited, it will be that many years until your next sleepover.  So we do this again when you turn 13.  (He is even more of a fun-sucker!)  1-4-3:)

Addie Turns 7

Better a day late, I tell myself to curb the guilt.  We had a jam-packed, fun-filled Memorial Day weekend celebrating the girls birthdays with parties and actual Birth Day activities.

First was Addie's Baking Party.  We started by rolling and cutting out sugar cookies.  This task couldn't have been successful without help from my sister Cami and mother-in-law Joyce.  Working with flour and rolling pins and Amelia takes lots of adult supervision.  While the cookies and pizza were baking we played the Double Bubble Game, like chubby bunny but with leftover bubble gum from Easter. (waste not, want not)  Addie and Brooke tied with 11 pieces in their mouth.

After lunch we played the baby food game, even though Addie wanted to veto this game from the party.  It turns out the King household is not a democracy but a dictatorship, hence the appropo surname, so the game stayed.  It also turns out Amelia actually liked the baby food and wanted more.

We also played "hot rolling pin" and decorated our cookies, then ate ice-cream sandwich cake accented with dulce de leche per Addie's request. (I drizzled caramel from a plastic bottle, just like they do in Italy.)

 

But the piece de resistance were the adorable party favor aprons Grandma Joyce made, Merci!

Happy Birthday Addie, we love you all the way to the moon and back!