Mid Summer Update

July is almost over and it seems like this summer has just flown by!  We have been doing our best to keep cool in this heat wave.  We have found a lot of activities with water this summer.  The kids still enjoy the inflatable kiddie pool, but neighbor's pool or Mimi and Pops is still the best!  Water balloons and water soakers have provided entertainment too!  We went to a local pool's toddler time and my friend and I were actually able to relax in a lounge chair and watch the kids.  A big change from last year when our little boys weren't walking yet.  In general we have just played all summer, which is really what summer is for right?

Their attempt at giving "thumbs up."  Nice boots G!

Elizabeth did not continue swim lessons during the summer, but her swimming has really taken off.  She jumps in and swims with her head under water, she goes under water to retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool (with a slight push!), she can float and back stroke.  It was like one day it all clicked and she just took off.  As a parent, it is thrilling to see your child master a skill!  Cooking class concluded a few weeks.  I failed to post about the no-bake cheesecake they made, complete with an American flag!  She enjoyed the class, but with dance being only an hour after cooking, I was ok with it being over.  There is only more week of dance.  I asked her if she wanted to do tumbling or dance this fall and she said tumbling, because she hadn't done it all summer.  I am secretly rooting for dance, but we will see what the fall schedules look like.

Grant had his first speech session this week.  It went really well and Joy (speech therapist) held his attention for 45 minutes.  We are working on words with the "o" sound since that is a sound he says well.  However, his two new words this week are "please" and "thank you" which just warms my heart.  What sweet words to have! Well "no" is still a favorite too, but we are building the vocabulary!  He repeats with the same intonation, even if the sounds aren't there.  Joy said she was impressed with what she was doing but we obviously still have work to do.

On the Pinterest home front...I have made an "Embrace it" E as a reminder to keep things in perspective.  We had a glow in the dark party and learned that Mt.Dew, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide do NOT make glowing sidewalk paint and glowing bubbles really aren't that cool.  However, breaking a glow stick into a glass jar is pretty cool!  I have yet to master photography at dark, so no pictures!  And here is my favorite new recipe:

No need to wait for Halloween or to find candy corn! I made it without and these are scrumptious!

These Halloween cookie bars, topped with candy corn, are chewy and delicious.

15 min.prep time 50 min.total time

48 bars

Crust

1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened

1 (18.25-ounce) package pudding in the mix yellow cake mix

1 Land O Lakes® All-Natural Egg

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups crisp rice cereal

2 cups salted peanuts

1 cup candy corn

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine butter and cake mix in large bowl. Beat on low speed until well mixed. Add egg; continue beating until well mixed.

Press onto bottom of ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven.

Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over hot, partially baked crust. Return to oven; continue baking for 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows puff.

Meanwhile, combine corn syrup, sugar and brown sugar in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture comes to a boil (2 to 4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Stir in cereal, peanuts and candy corn. Immediately spoon over marshmallows; spread to cover. Cool completely. Cut into bars.