Colour Match

I found this cute idea online and thought I'd try it with Evan. It's super easy and cheap. I went to the paint store and picked up a few paint chips. I had a hook laying around and a hole punch.

Punch a hole in each colour on each card. Attach them using a ring-hook-thingy.

Let you child find things around the home that match the colours on the card. This is a great activity indoors and outdoors. Evan had fun matching the colours to his cars.

He especially liked matching the oranges to Tiger.

Playing Dress Up

Evan has always loved different hats. He has been known to wear them out of the house too! He has a firefighter hat, a construction hat, a cowboy hat and a pirate hat. He only recently decided he liked to dress-up too.

Back into the swing of things.

As much as I love summer, I am so happy that fall has arrived! I am excited about getting into a routine again. One of the things I let get away from me this summer was Meal Planning. Sunday I posted my meal plan for this week and next week. I sat down with my Deceptively Delicious cookbook and the recipes I've collected from the Kraft Kitchen magazines. I made my list for this week using recipes I knew I had all the ingredients for. For next week I made note of any ingredients I will have to pick up. I also have a few cheater meals, we have 2 frozen pizzas and a veggie lasagna in the freezer.

One thing I like to do, knowing that Steve wont be home for dinner on Tuesday nights, is make something on Mondays that I know will have leftovers for and Evan and I on Tuesday. Also, we are going away next Friday so for Thursday night's dinner I will make one of the pizzas that I know we can eat between the 3 of us and not have leftovers.

Week 1

I like Meal Planning for a few reasons. If I know ahead of time what we are having I can start the prep- work ahead of time, especially if it means taking chicken out of the freezer to thaw. Sometimes I prepare things the day before so I can just pop it in the oven. I also try to use my crock pot on days that I know we will be busy and I wont have time to make anything. Another benefit to Meal Planning is that you can plan it around your shopping list. For example, I will usually sit down before I start my shopping list and make my meal plan. Then I make sure I add any ingredients I will need to my shopping list. It also makes grocery shopping easier and we spend less because we are only buying what we need.

Week 2

How do you do your meal planning? Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas!

First Day of School

Today was the Open House at Evan's nursery school. Even though it wasn't technically the first day, Evan thought it was so we treated it that way. This morning when I told him it was time to get ready for school he said "Yeah. I can't let Denny go to school by himself" (Have I mentioned before just how sweet this kid is!) He was excited to see his teachers, Ms Caroline and Ms Janet, his new class bunny Marvin and all of his friends. He wanted to be sure that I wasn't going to leave him today. He insisted that I stay so he could show me around. He would go off and play with something for a few minutes and then come check to make sure I was still there. Next Tuesday will be the first day that I leave him. Even though we have done this before I know there will be tears (likely more from me than Evan) but he loves his teachers and he loves school so I know he will be fine.

Showing off his backpack. Last year he refused to even put it on, let alone carry it so this was a huge accomplishment this morning

So excited!

Evan and Momma ready to go.

Evan and Denny on their way into the school. We brought "an apple" for the teachers. Actually it was apple loaf, made with the apples we picked the other day.

Getting aquainted with Marvin

Family Traditions

Ever since Evan was very little we have made every effort to start family traditions. One of our favourites is apple picking. The first year we went, in 2009,  Evan was about 13 months old. He wasn't walking so we had to carry him around the orchard. Luckily there were also lots of branches low to the ground. 

He had a lot of fun picking apples but even more fun eating them.

Evan also had his first claim to fame this year. He had his picture taken for the paper. Here he is checking out the photographer.

Last year we went again and saw many of our friends there too. The apples were just as delicious!

What we didn't realize when we went was that the Waddells had Evan's picture from the paper posted in the shop. Evan and Mommy went back a few weeks later with Nana and we took a picture of Evan in front of his newspaper clipping.

This year we went again for our 3rd annual trip. Evan was so excited and couldn't stop talking about going to pick apples all week. Even when we were in Toronto! He was picking them so fast that I think we filled our basket in about 5 minutes. He kept saying "I'm a good apple picker!"

Once again he was excited about the tractor ride.

And before we left we made sure to get our picture taken in front of the picture from the newspaper.

Now we have plenty of apples for apple pie, apple loaf, and homemade applesauce! YUM!

What are some of your favourite family traditions?

Kareen ~