CARROTS!

We landed into a not so unique situation for us...multiple treat dates on the calendar!
When you are the mother of multiples, this often happens and you just become used to the fact that you will be bringing the snack to preschool twice in the same week. What was new for us this year was that now I work at the preschool too and had volunteered to bring snack for my class as well...Leaving us THREE days to come up with a fun Easter snack!
Reese was up to bat first...she brought STRING CHEESE and CARROT PATCHES...little dixie cups with ranch dressing, carrots and we stuck parsley on the top of the carrots to make the baby carrots look like they were growing...then we put each one into a little-bitty clay pot just for fun!

Next, it was my turn! I can tell you with full on experience that CUPCAKES are NOT a good thing for a 3 year old preschool snack...MESS! So, what to bring...carrots and dip...they eat too fast to make it cute like Reese's so we just ate them straight...but they need something fun too...Well, I lucked out and found exactly 13 of these fun CARROT snack wrappers in my wrapping paper container over the weekend...I had completely forgotten about them. I stuffed them full of APPLE JACK cereal, ANNIES Bunny Crackers and Jelly Beans...perfect! Although, I discovered something...3 year olds aren't a big fan of jellybeans...weirdos!

On Thursday, Rumor was up to bat and we decided to continue with the carrot theme! Rumor helped me mix carrot cake for cupcakes...because after all, she is 5 and she and her friends can handle cupcakes! We topped the baby cakes with cream cheese frosting and a slice of orange candy and some green frosting to look like a carrot! I think the kids enjoyed them...except Rumor who was too full from the zucchini bread that the SPARK girls (nutritional team) brought to eat her own cupcakes! We brought hers home. 

We ended the school week with a visit from a special friend...OREO the bunny. It's our friend Carter's bunny and she is so cute and fluffy...and the funniest part of this special visitor this week...the creature who is said to like carrots the best...HATES carrots and they make her sick! Oreo can't eat carrots! Funny Bunny!

Well, as you can imagine, after 3 days of prepping snacks, my KITCHEN IS A MESS...but my kiddos are happy and looking forward to the Holiday Weekend of Easter! I am too...Ham Sandwiches and Carrot Soup are on the menu. Here's wishing you and yours a Happy Easter! Don't forget Jesus amongst all the chocolate bunnies this weekend. He died so that we could live...what a great gift indeed! Carrots and other garden vegetables in the Spring...remind me of this gift...the gift of new life.

Coupons and Quilts

I am constantly trying to improve how I run our household. I have officially been the CEO of our household for 6+ years when I decided to become a stay at home mom. My CFO checked over our finances and gave me the go ahead...just in time for me to be on bedrest--pregnant with our twins. When this decision was made, we knew that a budget would have to be adhered to and that some changes would have to be made. We were kissing the life of "DINKS" goodbye...Dual Income No Kids...and saying hello to double formula, double diapers, double laundry...double hugs and kisses!
It's been a great 6 years and I am glad we made this decision. So, back to the improvements...I have always tried to plan meals and make grocery lists...I have not always been good about using coupons...silly really...it's an easy way to save money and yet requires a lot of effort from me. Well, I have recently begun to see the light on coupons...looking for ways to make our money stretch farther. So, I thought I would post a photo of my most recent trip to Fareway:
(10 jars of Ragu for $10 *when using $5 coupon)
(2 for 5 cereal...but I also had $1 coupons)
(4 boxes of cereal for $10 *when using $4 coupon...plus I stacked a .75 cent and $1 coupon on top)
(Tide stain remover tabs $3 off coupon)
(2 boxes of cereal bars for $5 plus I had a $1 coupon)

Now, I am not one of those crazy coupon ladies on TLC's new show...however, I did save $16.75 while purchasing products that we use every week...and that is not too shabby! Now to just find a place for it all!

My next topic is a mushy topic...my girls came home from school last week and they needed to bring a "Q" item for sharing. They both asked...do we have any quilts? LOTS I replied...haven't they ever seen them? Well of course they hadn't...they are in the guest room which currently is a pit...well, was currently a pit! I cleaned it last week. It wasn't dirty...just full of my book inventory and garage sale items that I was gathering and marking. BUT NOW...it's beautiful and you can see my Grandma Phelps quilts, which I store in a cabinet in the guest room. I love this room...it's so homey and welcoming. Which is exactly how I want people to feel when they come over to my house. 

My dishes may not always be done...but there's plenty of cereal for everyone and the bed is comfortable...so come on by for a visit! Consider this an invitation from the CEO of Ridenour Household Inc.