Our Spin on a Pumpkin Bread!

As you all know from an earlier post, I stated that our Miss Annabelle was a handful last week. One afternoon I decided to make some homemade Pumpkin Bread (from a recipe of my own creation). Annabelle wanted so bad to help me out and I thought this would be perfect for her to get some one on one time with me and also have a little fun.

(you'll see from the photos below how we decided to add a little bit of goodies to our already fabulous pumpkin bread!)

Here is our Annabelle helping out in mixing up the ingredients.


Making sure they are all blending together....



Adding some Peanut Butter Chips to the mixture...


Than some mini marshmallows...

And finally topping the whole thing off with some ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and fine sugar for a super sweet taste!

Here are the girls with the pumpkin bread before being baked in the oven. I must admit, I was a little nervous about addling the peanut butter chips and mini marshmallows but the end result was really a delightful tasty treat! I wish I took some photos of the end product but once the bread baked and cooled, we enjoyed quite a few pieces.

I must also admit that sharing a little afternoon "project" like this with Annabelle helped her out a lot with the "mood" she was in last week. It was really hard to have to tell Francesca that Annabelle needed some one on one time with Mom but Francesca being the loving and kind-hearted child that she is...she totally understood and stepped aside to let Annabelle do a majority of the baking with me. Since Francesca was so understanding of the whole situation last week with Annabelle, I just had to reward her for her amazingly wonderful and understanding behavior...so on Sunday we baked some cookies ~ just me and her! I am hoping that by the end of this week, I'll have those photos downloaded and posted to share with you all.

Family Movie Night 2/15/09

This week it was Daddy's turn to chose the movie and his choice was...Monsters Inc. The girls are super excited about watching it ~ so much so that Francesca is already asking us, "How many more hours until we can watch the movie?"


(the girls are going to really love tonight's feature film because I also made an Oreo Cookie Pudding Pie for all of us to enjoy!)

Here's to a wonderful evening of family, fun, food, and our featured film!

Me & My Dad

I have been wanting to post this photo that was taken around Thanksgiving time by my stepmother of me and my Dad. I just love it! I miss them so. Seeing how they live at the beach, I know we'll be making a lot of trips down there this coming summer....and we can't wait! (Francesca is already talking about going to Papa & Grandma C's house at the beach!)

Life here in our household has been really cRaZy this week. Annabelle has been a handful. Not sure if she is just "searching herself out" or if she is not feeling well but I am very ~ tired ~ and it is only Wednesday. Also, we have been doing a lot of running around this week. The weather here has been beautiful so we are finally venturing outside to enjoy the sunshine and melting snow. Today I had an appointment with Francesca's therapist that went very well and seems promising. I just hope that what suggestions she gave to us work. (I know I haven't mention Francesca going to therapist before this but we decided about a month ago to seek some additional help on her mega colon/potty issues). Seeing how she can't join any activities (like dance, art classes, and preschool) because of her mega colon, we need to do something to help her. So as you can see...things have been a little crazy around here.

(so looking forward to the weekend...and it is coming soon)

Family Movie Night! Sunday 2/9/2009

sharing one of our family traditions....


Since last Spring, we have been enjoying Family Movie Night every Sunday evening. For us, it was a way for Daddy, Francesca, and Mommy to have a night of snacks and laughter while enjoying a wonderful movie. Every week ~ each family member taking a turn ~ one of us will picked out the movie that will be viewed. It has truly become a family weekend tradition that we all so look forward too. Since our Miss Annabelle has joined our family, it has been a little bit difficult to get her involved in family movie night, but since we would not give up this very special time together, she has adapted very well to sitting through the chosen movie. The movies choices range from our wide range of Disney's collection - to - the Old Time classics that we all so love. This week it is Francesca's pick and she chosen....



Francesca so loves our family movie night! She starts questioning about the movie choices around Wednesday evening and gets so excited that she will actually mark off the days on her calender and do a count-down to movie night. Now, there are times when we as a family have prior commitments on a Sunday that do not allow us to enjoy the chosen feature film, but seeing that we are flexible and that this time together means so much to us, we just push Family Movie Night up to Saturday and enjoy the festivities one day earlier.

Since this blog is about our family and what happens in our daily activities, I am going to be featuring a "Family Movie Night" dated post almost every week that will feature what movie we will be viewing and who had chosen it. It is truly a great tradition that we started almost one year ago and one that I am sure we will be enjoying for some time...(You'll be so very surprise at the feature films that are chosen ~ and who actually chosen them.) So....


Coming soon ~ for your viewing pleasure, our "Family Movie Night" weekly post!

the Smart Cycle and our Annabelle taking control of the conversation

Francesca got this Smart Cycle from Papa & Grandma C for her birthday...Not only does she love it but Annabelle does too! It is truly one of the favorites in our house! Just check out our girls go....

And here are some examples of our Miss Annabelle taking control of the conversation...

This past week...

Francesca & I were working on going over "the seasons of the year" as we were going over the season, Summer...I asked Francesca, "What season is it when it is hot outside, we can go swimming, and take some picnics?" Francesca response was, "Can I have a hint?" As I started to give out a few hints as to what season it would be, Annabelle spoke up and said ~ loud & clear ~ SUMMER!

also

While we were eating lunch on Monday, Francesca was getting to the end of her meal and she asked me, "How many more bits do I have to take, Mom?" My response to her was "Three." As she started to bit and chew her food, we counted..."One, Two..." and before we could say three, our little Miss Annabelle spoke up again and shouted, "THREE!" It is truly amazing how fast she is learning - and picking up on...everything!!!

(As for Francesca and the season, summer: she knew what season it was...she just loves seeing me acted out the hints! Boy, if anyone was ever looking through my window, they would seriously think I am crazy!!!)

She just takes my breath away....

Oh...how I just can't resist taking her photo! She is truly a beauty ~ inside & out...

A fun morning out and more!

Last week (before the snow and ice storm came) we had a fun play date with a few friends at Chuck E. Cheese. I don't think I need to say any more...the photos will speak for themselves showing how much fun we all had!

Our Annabelle loving the Chuck E. Cheese School Bus!

Francesca's favorite ride! (I am seeing horse back riding lessons in our future...)

(she rode that horse about 25 times in the course of two hours)

Our Little Drivers...

Gavin and Francesca

This rocket ride was Annabelle's favorite!

Air-Hockey ~ I think Francesca played this game with almost every child that was there that day!

Annabelle & Scott Joe teaming up on the Jet Ski!

Mary (Gavin's Mom) and Annabelle posing for a photo!

Scott Joe and Francesca just loved this one too!

(they rode this ride for almost a half-in-hour straight!)

"Our Bubble Boy"

(Once he got up there, he couldn't find his way out! I thought for sure one of us adults were going to have to go up there and save him. Luckily for us, he followed our instructions on how to get back down.)

Two sisters enjoying some time together...

"Hang on there, Annabelle!"

Now it was Francesca's turn to ride the Chuck E Cheese School Bus!

We all had such a great time and are planning on doing it again ~ very soon!

Also, last week while giving the girls a bath, both were enjoying some Tea For Two Time in The Bath Tub! (the tea set was given to them for Christmas from our neighbors, Grandma Nancy and Joe Pa ~ Gavin's grandparents) Since the photos show a little more than what I would want displayed here, I am posting them to Annabelle's babyjellybeans.com web site. Here is a quick preview of just how much laughing we all did!

You must go check it out!

Hope you all had a great weekend...I know we sure did!