Last Minute Mother's Day Ideas

Do you have the perfect gift picked out for the Mother who changed your diaper, fed you at 3 in the morning, and nursed your body, soul, and mind for all those years?  If not, here are some last minute Mother's Day ideas to get done in a jiffy.  Mother's Day always seems to creep on me, and I'm still pondering the perfect gifts for my wonderful Mom as well as all the other Moms in my life.  Five days left...

Chalkboard Pot

Mother's Day Handprint Flower

Photos in a Jar

Mason Jar with Candy (with free printable)

Personalized Pot Holders

Monogram Manicure Jar

Monkey Squares

Do you have over-ripe bananas sitting on your counter?  Yep, me too.  This recipe is perfect to use up those bananas you don't know what to do with.  Usually I try to make something healthy with my over-ripe bananas and throw them in the freezer for Luke like these Healthy Banana Muffins or these Banana Oat Bites.  Not this time.  I wanted something sweet and yummy with lots and lots of butter.  This recipe is it.  I found it over at The Girl Who Ate Everything and it's spot on.  Hope you try!

Monkey Squares

Ingredients
Banana Bars
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3-4 mashed bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I did not use)
Frosting
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3-6 tablespoons milk or half-in-half

Directions
1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees, grease and flour jelly roll pan (10x15) or, for thicker bars, line a 9x13 pan.  
2.  Beat first four ingredients until creamy (make sure your butter is softened.)  Mix in bananas and vanilla with mixer for one minute.  
3.  Add dry ingredients.  
4.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Frost when the bars are warm, not hot.
5.  For frosting: Melt butter in saucepan until brown and boiling.  Remove from heat and immediately stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or half-in-half.
6.  Spread over the top of the bars.  The frosting should be thinner than regular frosting, more like a glaze. 

   

Random Picture Friday

Happy Friday, all!  The rain has finally come to a halt here on the Trail and I was able to get some garden work done today.  Now I just need to get out there and mow those tall grasslands that are my yards.  I am excited for a fun weekend of friend time and even a date with my main man.  Hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Daddy and Luke at the aquarium at the zoo.  Luke loved it.

The zebra sharks made him smile.

 First time at the Petting Zoo for the whole family.

Kevin's grandparents gave him this keyboard a few years ago.  We got it out the other night for Luke to play and he was in heaven!

Luke is a fan of his 'new to Luke' toy cars that Daddy used to play with when he was a kid.

Amelia and Luke making May Day baskets.

Tot School {Color Matching}

Tot School has been on the back burner for the past few weeks as we have been traveling.  We finally started to get back into the swing of things last week.  I decided to go with a 'rainbow' theme for the next month.  I have lots of items around the house I can already use and I have been wanting to formally (ha) introduce colors to Luke.  Like I said, we started to get back into the swing of things this week, but we're not all the way there, yet.  I'm giving myself grace as the weather gets nice outside and there is garden work to be done.  Hopefully this week will be a little more, um, well planned.  I have this entire rainy day on the Trail to get organized, so wish me luck!

Color Matching

Rating: 5/5

Skills:
Colors: red, yellow, green, blue
Sorting
Counting
Fine motor development
Sensory development

Activity:
This is the activity we used all week long.  I pick up four felt pieces from Hobby Lobby awhile ago in the colors red, yellow, green, and blue.  I used several of Luke's toys he has around the house to help him sort the colors.  We used magnetic letters (his favorite), Legos, cars, and pipe cleaners.  Although Luke hasn't quite deciphered the difference in colors and how we are sorting them, I know he is learning as I help him sort the items.  As we sorted, I talked about the color of each item and how it matches one of the mats.  This activity has endless possibilities and I plan on using it all month long with different items.

(Excuse the quality of some of these pictures.)

Markers

Rating: 5/5

Skills:
Colors: red, yellow, green, blue
Fine motor development
Art
Pre-writing

Activity:
I gave Luke the four colors we have been working on all week (red, yellow, green, blue) and he drew a picture.  Markers is one of his favorite materials to work with when we do art.  Markers are great for toddlers because they make big, bold marks they can see.  Most of the time Luke comes away with red and green fingers, but Crayola markers are washable, so I don't worry so much about that. 

Linked up at:

http://www.icanteachmychild.com

Easter

I know I have said this before, but I'm going to say it again.  Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  Celebrating Jesus laying down his life for us just makes me happy.  

We had a busy weekend with lots of family.  We stopped in Grinnell first to visit Kevin's side of the family.  Sweet little Kathryn was there and she is just pure joy.  She is one of the happiest babies I know and her cute little belly just makes me merry.  To top it off, she had the cutest Easter bunny outfit with matching ears that she didn't pull off.   Luke would have torn those off in a heartbeat. 

Great-Grandma and Grandpa Turner with Luke and Kathryn

We headed to Ottumwa on Saturday morning after we had to wake Mr. Luke up from his sleep about 8:00.  (I think he was still recovering from our travels.)  Ottumwa is always so much fun, but such a whirlwind.  I feel like we have to squeeze a week's worth of stuff into a day and a half.  We saw my sweet Grandpa and Grandma, all the kiddos, my parents and siblings, and Coop and Paige.  We played kickball, helped Santa's elf in his workshop (Coop), ate some yummy food, went to church and had an Easter egg hunt, and watched bits and pieces of the Ten Commandments.  It flew by and before we knew it we were in the car headed home.  

I hope you had a blessed Easter weekend filled with lots of time with your friends and family reflecting on Jesus' amazing sacrifice for us. 

Great-Grandpa Hasley, Kevin, and Luke

Luke and Grandpa touching hands

All the kiddos before church

Luke wasn't sure to think of all his cousins and their candy.

Easter

San Francisco

A week and a half ago we were San Francisco bound.  Luke, Kevin, my parents, and I all boarded a plane to take in the sights and sounds of the west coast.  When we landed we headed straight for the water and spent the weekend on the beach.  We explored little towns, a few wineries, and the guys checked out some breweries.  It was a lazy little weekend and a perfect getaway for some family time.  We spent a few days in the city while Kevin attended a conference.  We walked around Chinatown (my dad's favorite), ate some seafood, and rode the crowded cable cars.  Luke really enjoyed people watching and time with Grandma and Grandpa.  It was a fun trip...here is San Fran in pictures.

Luke loves water.

Everything was so green!

At Korbel Cellars...it was so pretty!

Luke making a wish.

This kids makes me smile.

Grandma and Luke by the ocean...it was C-O-L-D.

He literally was trying to run into the water the entire time on the beach.

Pretty backdrop.

Our family.

Mom and Dad at Viansa Winery.

Luke loved this place.

In San Fran at Fisherman's Warf.

Luke loved looking out the window on the cable car.

At the Chinatown playground.

Headed home.

One of Luke's favorite parts of the trip....seriously.

I'm Still Here...Random Picture Friday

We have been traveling the last week and are finally back home and all ready to...travel again for Easter!  I will share pictures from our travels at a later date, but here are some random pictures from the last few weeks.  Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend with your families!

Gary and Kevin putting a fence up in our backyard...they are the best!

 Luke helping me pack.

Out for a walk.

Papa Jeff enjoying some cuddles.

Luke and Courtney catching up, always great to see this girl!