the jam & a little something for you...

since i couldn't give jam to everyone... i decided a pic or 2 would have to do. & if you decide to make your own jam, here is the label i made to put on my jam. some of them i hot glued to the top, the others i tied on with ribbon, twine or ric rac. give the gift of jam to your friends & fam! i just do freezer jam & use the recipe that comes with the pectin.

{to get this tag: right click on the tag, save image as..., then print as an 8 1/2 x 11}

i use a 3" hand held circle shaped paper punch, from the craft store, to cut my tags.

Avi & the strawberry jam...

last week sunflower had strawberries for super cheap, so my cute sis-in-law came over & we whipped up a few batches of jam.  lucky for us we had help:)  this little cutie wasted no time!  she asked for her apron, a bowl & spoon & started "helping" immediately.  we couldn't have gotten it done without her!  after all was said & done she went straight to the tub to get the strawberries out of her hair, off her face & get all of her clothes soaked in oxyclean!  HOORAY for oxyclean!!!  

Hooray for Brookie!

my amazingly talented friend brooke made a template for a really great job chart a little while ago.  i downloaded it as soon as she made it, but i have never gotten around to finishing it... until this last weekend.  Becks was so excited to have a job chart!  with fun, simple jobs he could do all by himself.  we decided to do a ticket system- so each week he fills his WHOLE chart, he gets a ticket.  then when he earns 4 tickets (since he's 4) we get to go to the store & pick a little prize.  this morning before he left to school, he went over to the fridge to see what he needed to do before he left.  needless to say, he thinks it is the greatest idea i've ever had- thanks Brooke for making me look sooooo good!  to get a template to make your own job chart visit Brooke's blog post here & download yours... it's FREE!  Thanks again Brooke for being so creative & generous!

{click on the chart see the details}

will work for food...

the kids are always wanting to help me make dinner, but my hunny is usually here & helps entertain them so that we can eat sometime that night:)  not too long ago my hunny went to a Jazz Game & i was flying solo.  what better time than to let the kids dig in & get their hands dirty... we tried to spare their clothes & use aprons:)  becks had so much fun making dinner.  he literally did everything that wasn't too dangerous.  avi was our little dish washer.  too bad when i wasn't looking she was sipping the dish water off of a spoon... eeewwwww!  when i told her that it was disgusting, she just argued with me-"no, it's not disgusting!"  needless to say, we all had a blast, even though we didn't eat until 8:30 pm:)

**not the best lighting, but priceless pictures!

{this cooking business isn't too hard}

{a watched pot DOES boil}

{don't let it burn}

{careful not to burn yourself}

{i gotta keep on top of these dishes}

{yummmm dirty dish water:)}

{easy as 1.2.3}

{you've gotta taste as you go!}

{what a silly noodle head!}

what am i gonna wear with these boots?

{boots 'n bottoms}

don't judge me for post a pic with my child's naked patutti & not having a private blog:)  but i just couldn't help it!  this is what i found this morning when i told avi "no sweetie, you can't wear your boots over your jammies."  so this little smarty pants took her jammies off, put her boots on, scooted her chair over & was on her way to picking out her outfit by the time i got to her!  what a goof!!!

tea for two...

this last week, while becks was at school, avi had a little tea party in her room.  i could help but grab my camera & snap some shots!  she is so funny while she plays pretend.  she talks in a higher voice & is so polite:)  now if i could only get her to clean up after herself!

    {just a little tea party}

  {she is such a good sharer:)}

   {aren't plastic cupcakes delicious!?!}

     {good till the last drop}

{tea parties are too much fun!}

{just the right amount of cream & sugar}

{it's my tea party & i'll throw a fit if i want to}