The paint is incredibly easy to make and lots of fun too. It is made with three simple ingredients that most momma’s have in their arsenal of goodies.

Ingredients

Cornstarch
Water
Food Coloring
Old Muffin Tin (or whatever you can find)

Directions

Mix water and cornstarch to desired consistency. I did 2 cups of water to 1 box of cornstarch. I recommend either a little more water or either less cornstarch. The consistency was a little too thick. Put a small amount of food coloring into each separate container.

Now add cornstarch and water mix, to the separate containers and stir together to mix in color.

TA DA! I made a tin for each of my children. One with a few more girly colors for Sugar Plum Fairy and the other one with some guy colors for the Little Old Man. So, after you have mixed your paints, grab your camera (cause you gonna want to get pictures of the fun) and go paint. For instance….

My Little Old Man, started out real simple just layering a few colors, while…

Sugar Plum Fairy went wild and started slinging it. Two completely different artist styles. Well, until Little Old Man saw what his sister was doing and wanted to duplicate.

Oh, yeah, it became a paint ourselves session. And, boy did they have a blast.

I think Sugar Plum Fairy became a dancing gypsy and Little Old Man…

A Ninja! (well a colorful camouflage ninja)

~a few side notes: All of this will wash off with the next rain. Although, when they decided to paint their bodies it did stain the skin until the second bath. So, if you decide to let them paint, do not plan it on a day where you are getting family pictures the next day. And, remember just have some fun, throw paint everywhere (well maybe not the car, I dunno), and remember it comes off with water, soap and sunshine.

My dear Geek Adonis asked what I wanted for Mother’s Day! He gave me everything I wanted and more. He started out my day with some oh so yummy Lemon Blueberry Pancakes and BACON! (cause if you do not know yet, I have an affinity for bacon) I am afraid I do not have a picture of the pancakes, but I can give you the recipe to try. The sweetness of the blueberries and maple syrup together with the tangyness of the lemon was just sublime.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Cake Flour
1 Tablespoon (additional) Cake Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (more if needed)
1 Whole Lemon (more if needed)
1 Whole Large Egg
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
Zest from 1 Lemon
1 cup Heaping Blueberries
Extra Butter
Maple or Pancake Syrup

Preparation Instructions

Heat heavy skillet or grill over medium low heat. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix evaporated milk, juice of 1 lemon (more if lemon isn’t very juicy), and lemon zest. Allow to sit for five minutes, then add egg,
vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.
Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Splash in more evaporated milk if mixture is overly thick. Stir in blueberries. Again, check to make sure mixture isn’t overly thick.
Melt butter in heated skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry pancakes on both sides until golden.
Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.

Get ready to lick your plate!

Next,

We went to Stones River National Battlefield and spent the day picnicking and frolicking. It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day outside and we found a perfect place to lay out our blanket under some huge sweetgum trees.

We enjoyed a yummy lunch of salami, cheeses, olives, nuts, salad, pimiento cheese sandwiches, pretzels w/ mustard, and a small smorgasboard of drinks.

After our picnic…

We threw gliders, and…

sisters stood at the ready to throw gliders at us unbeknownst to us…

no worries though the glider plummeted and all brothers got to stand proud that day. After the small dog fight, we…

rested and came in and refilled with root beer and ginger ale. (Notice, mommy and young smiley all the while have been resting on the blanket). Refreshed, we are off to climb…

cannons, and…

rocks. As with all picnic’s there were an abundance of bugs…

including cicada exoskeleton’s. Meanwhile, back at the blanket…

Geek Adonis and Smiley called Nana to wish her Happy Mother’s Day too! After a glorious day at the battlefield Daddy decided we all needed one more treat.

Oh my, I must tell you this is one of my favorites places to go now! If you have never been to a Sweet CeCe’s I am so so sorry. They have a variety of frozen yogurts that you first choose from and then, you get to pick from crazy topping like captain crunch and gum balls to chunks of cheese cake or fresh strawberries. Oh, and speaking of the gum balls, that was one of the topping Miss Sugar Plum Fairy chose, so be careful of this happening …

This was the end of my perfect Mother’s Day! My sweet husband gave me just the experience with my family that I wanted. Thank you my love! I hope all of you other mamas out there had a wonderful mother’s day as well.

I love that my kiddos have such a good relationship with all of their grandparents. I was not close or even really knew any of my grandparents. It is so neat and wonderful to see the love and bonding that my kids get to have with their, Pop Pop, Maw Maw, Grandma, Nana, etc.

My little old man with his Pop Pop, they truly are buddies.

I so needed to weed my flower garden and the kids wanted to help but they kept trying to pull my good plants instead of the weeds. So, I needed something quick, cheap and easy, that they would enjoy while mommy was weeding.

This worked so well and I can reuse this corrugated board again and again. If you do not have a large piece of corrugation, then you can use any old box and cut it open. The cereal box, old diaper boxes, etc.

Materials – watercolor paints, old plastic cup, two small paintbrushes, water, and cut open corrugated box.

My kiddos are enjoying the beginning of spring, I would say they are basking in it. What are you doing to enjoy spring? We are going to plant some strawberry plants today and take a walk around the farm.

The kids loved our family breakfast tea. I highly recommend doing this with your children. Its super easy and they just love it, plus it is absolutely adorable watching them eat and drink from their little tea cups and plates.

This time we had aunts and uncles to share our tea with. (Sugar plum fairy with her Uncle)

And cousins! (My little old man with his cousin)

Did you notice the tiny feet in the last picture? Our youngest (we’ll call him smiley, cause seriously that’s all he does) finally made it into a post.

Our first tea party!

Well, the kids actually drank juice!

I was so excited when I finally found a tea set for me and the kids. I have looked for a while now and all I could find was the cheapy plastic sets at Toys R Us or really expensive nice ones that I would always be afraid to use. Another blog steered me towards One King’s Lane. I would look on there from time to time and one day I just happened to notice they had china tea sets with extra plates and totally within my budget. I was super excited. I bought it without thinking twice. My little old man, loves them and asks all the time when are we having our next tea party. What he doesn’t know is that I am making scones this weekend for our next tea party. I cannot wait.

I do not believe in reincarnation, but if it could happen I would say that my oldest son would definitely be an old soul. There are many many times I call him my little old man. The photo above was the first time I felt like I actually captured him in his “little old man” look. This last winter we got a good snow for our area and when most other children would be out playing, eating, or building a igloo in the snow, my son head down with hands in pocket just contemplatively walked in it for a few minutes and then was ready to go back in the house.

He is a very sweet old soul. He loves his sister, “Sugar Plum Fairy”, and talks to his littlest brother in mommies belly, asking regularly when he gets to hold him. He loves his cousin dearly and he finds that she is warm, sweet and cuddly, but wiggles a whole lot when you feed her. I am only hoping he does so well when his little brother arrives.

He is my thinker and ponderer. He will tell me from time to time, “Hmmm, let me think about that”. He is so cute, he will literally screw up his brow and put his little fist under his chin and think about whatever it is really hard. Can’t you just see him staring into the water and solving all of his world issues (how do I get my sister to leave my toys alone, etc.)?

Here is another reason I call him my, “little old man”, he is an utter and complete home body. He would be fine if we never ever left home again. As we were headed to the olive garden the other night for dinner, he states, “I do not eat at restaurants, I eat at home”. (perhaps, I should take some frugality tips from my son, huh?) I think I may have laughed the rest of the way to restaurant. I mean, who thinks of that? He is four years old for goodness sake.

With that being said, he does have a few other alternate personalities. For instance,

Robot Boy!

Crazy haircut boy!

Last but not least (mommies latest favorite), 20′s Swing boy! Every time I look at this picture, I think of big band music! He just looks likes he is swinging and snapping his fingers to the beat.