"Puppy hair shop"

I love that my kids love to use their imaginations.  Summers can be hard here in AZ because it is too hot to run and play outside.  They are so good about finding fun things to play inside the house.  The other day Emma went around and gathered all the stuffed animal puppies in the house and said she wanted to "do their hair and give them baths."  So I helped her set up a little table and we gathered some necessary tools and she "opened up shop."

Avery and Hunter were the customers and lined their puppies up to wait for their turn to be groomed.  Emma first clipped all their nails.

Then they were bathed and given a thorough scrub with a loofah. Then towel dried.  It was cute to hear the way she was talking to them as she took care of them.  Pretending that they shook water on her and got her wet.  Or telling them to sit in the tub because they were "trying to jump out."  It was super cute.

Then she spent a long time brushing their hair and putting "perfume" on them.  Styling the only girl puppy's hair and putting a bow in it.  Then of course giving her accessories.  She also filed and pretended to paint her nails.  Then she called the customers to come and pick up their dogs.  She had them all looking fresh and clean and new.  It kept her busy for an hour and she had so much fun.  I just love getting to play with these kiddos of mine, they keep my days so busy and fun.

Something new.

Monsoon season.  I love it.  I love in the late afternoon to see the clouds start rolling in and then the electrical storms start.  The most amazing lightning shows you have ever seen.  All of a sudden a down pour with a ton of rain.  Sometimes staying for awhile, sometimes pouring down and then going on its way.  I LOVE RAIN.  There is nothing like cracking open a window to listen to it, to read on the couch, snuggle my babies or fall asleep listening to it.  The other day it was really coming down so I opened the blinds and my littlest two sat by the window and just watched and watched quietly.

Hudson was very curious about the way it was hitting the window.  He sat there looking at it, pressing his face to it and watching it.  He would touch it and then try to wipe it, then look at his hand again trying to figure out why it didn't move or feel different.

He kept putting his hand on the window and then as the raindrops hit around his hand he would giggle as if he could feel it and it tickled him.

He was completely intrigued and it was adorable.  So lucky as a mom to get to watch them experience something for the first time.  Even more lucky to get to do that over and over again with each of them.  Watching their little eyes light up with curiosity at seeing something completely new.

Hudson and Sully

My babies have never really attached that much to blankets but they have all loved stuffed animals.  They have all preferred a certain stuffed animal significantly more than their others.  This is the case with Sully.  Santa brought Sully for Hudson at Christmastime and since he was only a little over a month old he was really not that interested at that time.  It has only been in the last couple of months that he has developed a love for him.  

 He chews on his tail, sometimes on his horns.  It is the perfect size for him to get his little arms wrapped around and hold when he is laying on the floor or taking his nap.  He really likes to hold him in the car when he rides.  I think it helps make the trip more fun since Magoo HATES the carseat.

 We will have to wait and see if these blue monster achieves the level of "favorites" at our house like Rusty, Moo cow and Ariel.  But for now he is fun for Hudson and a first favorite for now :)

***Make Candy sushi

 Easy, fun for the kids to make and then a snack after your done.  It's simple, make up some rice krispy treats then use your green fruit roll up and your swedish fish and licorice pieces and make your own "sushi."  The kids loved making these.  I made mine and then unwrapped it and ate everything separately but the kids chowed happily down on theirs :) :)

**** Ride the lightrail (How do you Roll)

 Deke had the day off so we decided to load everyone up and spend the afternoon "riding the rail" as a family or the lightrail that is.  We went down to the closest park and ride station, bought our tickets (which are super afforable by the way) and waited for the next train.  Since it is so stinkin hot I was glad to see that trains come every fifteen minutes.  We got there in perfect time and walked right on, I was really surprised 1) how clean it was inside and 2) how nice and cool it was during the ride.

 The kids were fascinated.  There were no seat belts, you could stand up and ride or sit down, you could walk around while riding.  Avery especially couldn't stop talking about it.  "Mom, we are driving but we can stand up and walk around, while we are driving!!!!"  She would tell me to watch and then let go of one handle and take a few steps to another handle and then look at me so pleased with herself.  I think the kids changed spots at least five times each on the ride there.  As we rode we got to go over tempe town lake, through ASU by the stadium, by the airport, and throughout downtown phoenix.

 Our destination, this restaurant downtown.....

 We saw an episode of Shark Tank, a show about people with ideas or products that they are trying to sell and start businesses.  They go on the show to try to get these millionaire businessmen to invest in them.  These two brothers were on the show with an idea for a restaurant where you could make your own custom sushi.  It looked really cool and then they said they already had stores in texas, florida and arizona.  So of course we hopped on the computer and sure enough they have one in phoenix.  Upon doing a little looking it just so happens that the light rail has a stop within a short walk from this place.

 After our nice ride we got off and headed to eat.  It was really interesting to see sushi done this way.  I really liked their store it was bright and I liked the concept.  The kids each got busy planning and ordering their own custom rolls....

 You get to choose seaweed or soy wrap, white or brown rice, one protein raw or cooked and three or more veggies.   I went pretty simple with crab, cream cheese, asparagus, avocado and crunch topping.  Deke of course was doing tuna rolls with a spicy sauce, eel rolls, and then a shrimp jalapeno roll.   Deke loves sushi.

 I love that the kids are not picky eaters.  All three of them chowed down even Emma on sushi.  Avery chowed down on three of Deke's raw eel rolls and loved them.  She would've eaten more but I worried how they would settle with her tummy so I had her take it easy.  She was so excited to know she had eaten eel and said she couldn't wait to tell her class that it was something she did this summer.

 Bellies full we headed back to the stop to wait for the next train.  It was nice and cool and enjoyable to just sit and ride and look out the window.

 Obviously it was relaxing enough that it took Ave about sixty seconds to crash out in her seat.  It pretty much was an all afternoon trip, we had so much fun.  Definitely want to ride it again one night with a few couples into downtown phoenix to go have dinner at a fun restaurant together.

**** Masterchef pizza night (Hawaiian garlic twist, Cheese puff, Mushroom head, and Chicken a la king)

 F.H.E. the other night it was game on.  Our favorite show right now to watch as a family is Masterchef on fox.  It is fun because the kids all have a favorite chef and we love to watch them cook and compete.  The girls use the play kitchen and food all the time to play Masterchef and kitchen.  Each kid got their own pizza crust, sauce and cheese.  Mom and dad teamed up together.  Then everyone was given a "pantry" of toppings to choose from to make their creations.

 They were given twenty minutes to create their own delicious pizza and give it a name.  Deke and I were cracking up how into it they were getting.

 They each made their own choices on how to top it with minimal help from mom and dad.  They all started giggling when we called "time up, hands in the air" just like the show.

 After each pizza came out of the oven everyone was given a small piece to taste.  Hunter named his Hawaiian garlic twist since he had taken garlic salt and seasoned his crust all the way around quite plentifully :) :)  Avery's was called Cheese puff and it sort of was.  She had used great toppings of pepperoni, olives, and artichokes but then her cheese instead of being spread out had been place in large piles so when you ate it you all of a sudden bit into a mount of cheese.  Emma used canadian bacon and pineapple and then mushrooms and mushrooms and cheese and then a couple more mushrooms.  "Mines is called Mushroom head" she proudly told us.  Seemed fitting.  Mom and Dad did a chicken pizza with mushrooms and artichokes and spinach.

 After each pizza had been sampled we sat down and had dinner.  As we asked the kids what they wanted it was cute to hear them each ask for "a piece of Cheese puff" or "one slice of Mushroom head please."  Then as they ate they talked about their favorite parts of different ones.  After we were all happily full we took a jar and put it in the living room and one at a time each person went in to cast their vote.  Then we all gathered in the living room and dad pulled out each paper and read the votes.  The kids were so anxious to know and dad announced "the winner is.....MUSHROOM HEAD!!!!"  I almost died when Emma shot up from the ground jumping up and down, pumping her fists in the air shouting "Yes I did it!! I'm the winner, I am the masterchef!!!"  It was hilarious, her pizza seriously was the tastiest.  She was so proud for the rest of the night as everyone talked about her winning and that she was a real masterchef.  Way to go Miss E, guess all that play food practice really paid off :) :) :)