Welcome to Kindergarten

Luke surprised me with a picture. You can see it there in the background. I was trying to take a picture of Luke with his art and look who got in the way! Everybody wants to be a star.

It is also hard to get one of these guys to stand still.

Luke told me this says: "Welcome to Kindergarten"

He has been saying that frequently and then he says: "Mom, what's kindergarten?"

How to Dominate a Maze When You're 3

First choose a maze in either your Easter Activity Book or your Clifford The Big Red Dog book.

Grab a marker and start at the "start"

If at first you go the wrong way feel free to start over! Keep your eyes on the prize or in this case the carrot.

Try not to get in the "sticky peanut butter" along the way (you know, stay in the lines) at least that is what mom says. But since you're 3 just do your best!

Feel happy that you did it "all by myself"

Practice makes perfect!

Ping Pong Ball Drop

Instead of an Easter Egg Hunt my brother-in-law put on a Ping Pong Ball Drop! He arranged for a small plane to drive by a field and drop out 2,500 ping pong balls in a couple of swoops.

Everyone spread out on the starting line.

It was a beautiful day in Northern Indiana!

The plane flew low and the balls dropping out were surreal. They kind of just hung there in the air and landed simultaneously.

Micah and Grandma Wagler snuggled to keep warm.

Luke was ready to GO!

And they're off.

"The Big Race" as Luke liked to call it.

A frenzy of children grabbing and running.

In a blink it was all over! Look who we found...Aunt Tiffany and cousins Arthur and Sophia.

So sunny and windy.

Free hotdogs. Luke actually ate the entire thing! You have to celebrate the picky eater.

"Cheese" or maybe we should have said "hotdog"

Hashbrown Casserole

I am so thankful for my recipe box of recipes that were supplied to me at one of my wedding showers! Each guest brought a recipe to put in my box. I have tried almost every one! This one is from my cousin Sara Sparks.

Hash Brown Casserole is one of those recipes that literally everybody LOVES! This is a hit at carry-ins and family gatherings. Two words: COMFORT FOOD

Ingredients:

2 lb. bag of hash browns (cubed or shredded) thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup (or make your own)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. minced onion
1 pt. sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar

Mix together all of the ingredients except the hash browns in a large mixing bowl. Add the thawed hash browns and fold the potatoes into the mix.

Bake in a greased 9 1/2 x 11 baking dish at 350 degrees for a least an hour.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Make this for your man...boys LOVE potatoes! It's all American.

Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

A flavorful condensed cream of chicken soup base recipe for use in dishes that call for canned creamed soups. This way you can control the amount of sodium and the best part...NO MSG! I just did the math and ONE can of store bought cream of chicken soup has 2,175 mg of sodium!! Yikes and double yikes!

Make a double batch and freeze the extra for ease in future recipes.

This recipe makes about 3 cups = 2 cans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade so that you control the sodium and MSG)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (or diced onions boiled with broth for a few minutes)
1 clove of minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less; taste to test)
1/4 teaspoon parsley
dash of paprika
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

Instructions:

1. In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two (longer if using fresh onions or garlic).

2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

Use in recipes that call for cream of chicken soup and freeze the rest!

Don't Break the Ice

Micah Playing