My Heart is Whole Again

Last Sunday I dropped half my heart off at Operation Purple a summer camp for military children dealing with deployment. Today my heart is whole again after retrieving said campers from camp. This was their first experience at summer camp and my first experience having them be away from the house for more than one night. I myself have been away from my children for more than a couple of nights but they were always home safe and sound with daddy and I could speak to them each night.

Just before leaving the kids at camp we saw this awesome "halo" around the sun, something I have never seen before.

My campers crossing the bridge at camp, with their little sis in tow.

For 5 long nights I was not even able to pick up a phone to call and check on them, it was harder than I ever thought it would be, I missed them terribly. The only thing that kept me sane was knowing that they were having a GREAT time. And a GREAT time did they have. We have spent the majority of today talking about all of the fun things they did. I even found out that their fears of having horrible camp food weren't realized. They said they ate very well all week, and that not a single meal was "bad", they absolutely loved everything they were fed! My heart aches for the two boys at camp who lost their father who was overseas fighting for our freedom while they camped at Operation Purple. Their father paid the ultimate price for our freedom and his family needs our prayers in their time of grief.

The Fish was so excited to see Lynner, he had cried for her almost every night at bedtime :(

Ky Guy received the award for Strangest Sleeping Position. He was sleeping on the floor due because the mattresses were lumpy..silly boy!

The Fish did not want to leave his sissie's side!

Lynner with her new friend!

I got up at 6 am today to drive the 3 hours each way to pick up my babies and the drive over was tough because I was very sleepy. The hubs woke up at 4 am very sick and I was unable to fall back asleep after he woke up. So I was running on just 4 hours of sleep but once I had the extra kiddos in the car telling tons of camp stories I was wide away and energized, the Starbucks Double Shot may have had something to do with it also.

Once we got home we spent the entire afternoon on the trampoline just having a blast. Here are some shots of us in action. Ky Guy isn't one for having his picture taken so it's just the rest of us having some good ole fashion fun!

Lynner perfecting the front flip

Lippy Lou having fun.

And while I may be in my 30's I still have it!

And yes I can flip too, can't land on my feet YET but I will!

The Fish is loving the trampoline too!!

Sorry for the picture overload but it has been awhile since I have posted some of the kiddos!

I can't believe I am posting this...

I have a huge issue with play dough. I don't like it. AT. ALL. It gets in the carpet, it gets in the wood cracks on the table, it dries up and makes a HUGE MESS. I have never liked it, EVER. But I am realizing that it may just be in important thing in my son's life so I am pushing aside my disdain for it and decided to make him some play dough to play with. His speech therapist thinks it will be beneficial in his therapy for learning colors, shapes, how to use scissors and many other things.

So on Saturday after going to see Elmo I decided that the girls and I would make 6 different colors of play dough for him to use during the week. And of course the girls were super excited to make play dough that was actually going to stay at home. I have made it many other times but normally we shipped it off to preschool classes or other friends, but never did it remain in our home to be played with. I know, I know, I have issues.

So on to the real plan at hand, teaching all of you how to make your own play dough. Ky Guy's day care provider gave me a recipe for Kool-Aid Play Dough many many many years ago and it has always been my go to recipe. I LOVE the texture, the smell, and well just about everything about it.

Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe

1/2 cup Salt

2 cups Water

2 tbs vegetable oil

2.5-3 Cups Flour

2 tbs Alum (found near the spices)

2 packages of Kool-Aid in any flavor

Boil water and salt in a pot until salt is dissolved. While water and salt are beginning to boil combine 2.5 cups of flour, alum and Kool-Aid packages. Once water has come to a boil add vegetable oil and combine with flour mixture. Stir with spoon until well combine. Once the mixture is at a temperature that you can handle without burning your hands begin to knead the dough, adding remaining 1/2 cup of flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Be careful not to add to much flour as it will make your play dough dry out way to fast.

These are the six colors we ended up with.

#1 Purple = Grape Kool-Aid

#2 Yellow = Lemonaid Kool-Aid + yellow food coloring

#3 Hot Pink = Cherry Kool-Aid

#4 Red = Pink Lemonaid Kool-Aid + red food coloring

#5 Orange = Orange Kool-Aid

#6 Blue = Berry Blue Kool-Aid

The other day I found these great containers at the dollar store and picked them up knowing I was going to make play dough in the near future, they turned out working great for 1/2 batch and because I planned on giving 1/2 of each batch away it was perfect...except for the fact that I didn't buy enough so I put 1/2 in the containers and 1/2 in a Ziploc bag, both are great for storage!

After we got done making the play dough the girls, The Fish and I walked to Joann Fabrics with my 40% off coupon and found this great set of cookie cutters, prefect for our new play dough. With coupon the set was $9, I found it by the baking supplies.

We returned home and set up a table outside and the kids played for hours! I had some finish work to do on their picnic table so I was able to work on that while they played and we all enjoyed a great afternoon outside. The Hubs and Ky Guy were off fishing so it was a fun way to spend our afternoon without them.

Despite what the pictures show The Fish really did LOVE playing with play dough he was just avoiding the camera...silly boy!

I shared my project on

The DIY Show Off Parade

And

Making the World Cuter Monday

And

With Today's Creative Blog

Because They Tug on My Heart Strings....

When I saw this pattern preview by Susan B. Anderson posted on the Spud and Chloe blog I knew instantly that I had to make them for Lippy Lou and Lynner for Valentine's Day. Normally we don't give the kids gifts on Valentine's Day but after I saw these I knew I just had to! So after waiting what felt like WEEKS, even tho it was only days I got started as soon as the pattern was released.

It took me only 4 days to complete both hats, although if I was able to sit and just knit straight it would have only taken me about 1.5 hrs each to knit them. They are so squishy soft and I am planning on making a few more to auction off for my 3 Day Walk in the next few weeks.

Now that I have knit the girls something for V-day I am going to have to come up with something to make for The Fish, Ky Guy on the other hand has expressed that he doesn't want me to knit him anything...silly 12 yr old boys! Perhaps The Fish will get this adorable Zebra Puppet from The Itty-Bitty Knits book.

And speaking of patterns a friend of mine, Kathryn Oates of Tot Toppers, is donating 50% of all proceeds from the sales of 11 of her knitting patterns on Ravelry. For more information check out her blog at http://www.tottoppers.com/2010/01/help-for-haiti.html