Wordless Wednesday: Sandbox is open for the season!

A Family Trip to the Zoo!!

Last week Danny and I debated how we would spend our Good Friday holiday since Danny, Emerson and I all had the day off from school and work.  We looked at going to Mickey's Rockin' Road Show in Greensboro, but then that fell through when we didn't make a decision in time.  So, we decided we would venture to Asheboro to visit the NC Zoo (our first visit as a family).  Since a family trip wouldn't be complete without our extended neighbor family, the Hermans, we invited them along for a fun day of zoo-going!!!  Friday morning, we loaded up the cars and were on our way; little did we know the entire state of NC had the same idea we did.  The crowd started the second we turned onto Zoo Parkway, we were met with a line to get into the parking lot.  Luckily the line went fast and so did the admissions line into the park. 

Once inside the park, we decided to venture to the Africa section first, this way we would finish in North America and closer to our car at the end of the day (when we had three very tired girls).  Our first stop in Africa was at Junction Plaza where the girls enjoyed a carousel ride and Dora & Diego' 4-D Adventure.  (Thanks to Amy's good planning it was a good thing we did all this first...because the next time we saw this place, it was PACKED!!!)

After our quick stop in Junction Plaza, we were off to see all the animals of the zoo.  Have I mentioned it was crowded?  At times, it was hard to get to certain exhibits because of all the people, but we did get to see giraffes, elephants, chimpanzees, lions, ostriches, and over a hill we saw a few stripes of a zebra.

A quick side note:  probably the funniest part of the day was the lion exhibit.  We rounded the corner to see a hoard of people standing around and laughing.  I think we all thought that the lions were playing around and they were, sort of.  When we looked into the exhibit we saw what all the laughing was about.  In not so many words, the lions were certainly "playing".  The comments that we heard were hilarious and it was funny to see parents try to explain to their kids what was going on.  Funnier to me than even the "action" was that Danny and Dale immediately pulled out their phones, took a picture, and started texting/emailing the picture to everyone they knew.  In the words of one woman, "Primal males are all the same!"

We finished our jaunt through Africa hoping to eat in Junction Plaza before heading to North America.  Did I mention it was crowded and HOT?   Our jaunt was more of a trek up and down hills to get back to a very crowded (there's that word again) Junction Plaza.  We debated if we should brave the crowds because we knew melt downs were eminent.  Because we were all so hot and couldn't figure out what we were doing, I decided to ease the pain of hunger with some frozen lemonade.  I headed to the line to wait my ten minute turn in line.  While waiting we decided to head back to North America, get in our cars, and do lunch elsewhere.  So, we all got to enjoy our lemonades in line waiting for the tram.  Thank goodness for frozen lemonade when you're standing in a very long tram line. 

We had a great time at the zoo, even if we did only see Africa.  I hate the girls didn't get to see the North America section, but I'm sure we will make it back one day (one less crowded and 15 degrees cooler day).  And if not, I am sure the girls will have school field trips to the zoo in the future.  Even through the heat and the crowds, it was still a great way to spend the day with the people I love the most. 

A New 'Do!!

Thursday (after school) we had a milestone in the Dever household, Emerson got her FIRST haircut!!! Can you believe I waited 2 years, 8 months, and 8 days to get her hair cut? I’m not sure why I waited so long, maybe it officially didn’t make her a baby anymore, you know the whole one more milestone off the list. (I’ve had a lot of these feelings lately…hard to come to grips that I now have a full-fledged toddler and not a baby anymore.) So, anyway, I made the decision we had to get Emerson’s hair cut; her hair was getting stringy and thin at the bottom and very knotted because of all the, ahem, TWIRLING she does. So off we went for Em's first haircut.

We invited Papa to come along with us. For most of his adult life, Papa was a barber in Florida. It’s kind of been a tradition for him to perform first haircuts; he did first cuts for Uncle Ed (Danny’s brother), for Danny, for Corey (Emerson’s cousin), and for too many family friends to count. I wanted to keep the tradition alive and let him participate in Emerson’s first haircut; something I knew he would cherish and she would cherish one day. Most of Papa’s haircuts were on little boys and done with clippers, so he actually brought his shears and just made the first couple of cuts; Donna, the Peek-a-Do stylist, finished off the cut.  Emerson did a great job sitting still and watching the Dora video that Peek-a-Do provides for their little customers.  Emerson even got a dose of the princess treatment by getting glitter sprayed in her hair at the very end.  I am sure there are many more trips to the salon in her future.  OF COURSE I had my camera and captured every moment.  After all, it isn't everyday that my little girl gets her FIRST HAIRCUT.....

Getting ready.....

 The First Cut......

 Cutting Off Inches....

First Haircut Complete and Successful...!!!

Before and After

School Easter Egg Hunt

Thursday Danny and I both stole a quick hour to attend the Easter Egg Hunt at Emerson’s school. Last year when I attended the “hunt”, the kids were still hesitant and didn’t quite understand the concept of hunting for egss.  That was certainly not the case this year, they were full throttle GO when the playground gate opened and I think within five minutes all the Easter eggs had been claimed. Emerson’s friend, Robbie, even found a small quiet corner to sit down and consume all the candy out of his eggs (I bet he was a handful the rest of the day). After the hunt, Ms. Rosa, let all the kids stay outside and play a bit longer than normal. Yesterday was Rosa’s last day at school and secretly, I think she wanted to enjoy and soak up her last moments with the kids. We are really going to miss her! It was great seeing the kids hunt, laugh, smile, giggle, and play….always brings a smile to my face. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy from the day!!

Emerson's Class

Hunting

The Fierce Foursome

(Haegan, Emerson, Aurora, and Reagan)

2009 (toddler class)

2010 (2 year old class)

Hippity Hoppity Easter Treats

Lately it seems that everywhere you turn (at least on every blog I read) people are cranking out some of the cutest treats for their kid's classrooms during holidays.  I never remember taking, nor receiving, treats quite like the ones I see on all my mommy blogs.  Is it a competition to see who can be the most creative?  The most original?  Well, being the working mother that I am, I really don't have the time to be creative or original...frankly, not sure how stay-at-home moms find the time either (but we won't touch that debate right now).  So, again, with my schedule (especially this time of year) being as hectic as it is, I have decided to be a follower for our Easter treats and not a leader.  Maybe ONE day I will be the feature "cute" idea on a blog, but for now I will have to settle for using everyone else's creativity.

My "inspiration" for our Easter treats came from two of my favorite sites, How Does She? and Bakerella.

How Does She is a great blog on exactly how moms, wives, etc. get it all done.  How does she this? How does she that?  How does she cook?  How does she clean?  How does she raise her kids?  How does she balance work and family?  How does she craft? How does she dress?  How does she save?  How does she get a moments peace to herself?  Folks, it's all answered on this blog.  If you haven't seen Bakerella, hop (no pun intended) on over there.  Your mouth will water from the first word of her posts to the end.  Sweet treats and delectables is what she is all about; so talented and so creative.  She also has some of the best pictures I have ever seen someone take of food, which makes everything on her site even more tempting.  At some point, I am still going to make her recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Cake.  I just need the occasion! 

THE INSPIRATION

Originally I wanted to TRY to make these Bunny Cake Pops from Bakerella.  How adorable are they?!?!  I was probably fooling myself that I could actually make these and have them turn out to look half as

good as hers. 

Then last week How Does She? participated in the Spring Blog Hop and posted these adorable Oreo Cookie Suckers.  These seemed a bit more my speed and had the same look I was going for.  I was sold and decided these would be my Emerson's Easter treats for school.  (Funny side note:  How Does She had also looked at Bakerella's cake pops, decided they might be a bit hard, and then came up with these.  THANK YOU How Does She?)

OUR TREATS

I pretty much stuck to the way Shelley from How Does She? did her cookies but I did use the pastel colored candy corns from Fresh Market that Bakerella used for her bunnies.  I must say, although time consuming, these weren't that hard to make and now that I've done it one time, I am sure it would go much faster the next.  I am also sure that I will be making these again in some variety, shape or form for another holiday.  I've got to use all that leftover chocolate for something. 

Here are the very quick and "jest of it all" steps for these cookie pops:

Step 1 - Separate the Oreos (I actually created a Step 1A and made a small groove in the Oreo center.  It made it easier for the top cookie to sit flush on the lollipop stick and bottom cookie - see picture under the collage)

Step 2 - Melt White Chocolate Candy Melts for dipping lollipop sticks

Step 3 - Lather the cookie and stick with chocolate

Step 4 - Re-attach top cookie and place on wax paper lined cookie sheet

Step 5 - Place in the fridge to speed up the chocolate hardening process

Step 6- While the cookies are in the fridge, get all the other items prepared

Step 7 - Separate your candy

Step 8 - Melt a large amount of White Chocolate Candy Melts

Step 9 - Start dipping your cookie pops into the chocolate - make sure to try and cover the entire cookie (Note: while holding the lollipop stick in one hand, gently hit you wrist with the other hand (make sense?).  This helped to get rid of excess chocolate.)

Step 10 - DECORATE as you wish!!!  (The whiskers were the time consuming part)
(Note: I used a piece of chocolate melting bark, stuck it in a Ziploc bag, threw it in the micro, and then piped everything on with that.  I had to reach back down to my cake decorating class days and improvise for a piping bag.)

THE FINISHED TREATS

I also have to mention the adorable Easter gift tags that I got from The TomKat Studio (another favorite blog)...they were the icing on the cake (or cookie in this case). 

And, since we don't have school tomorrow (our typical Show-and-Tell day), I thought I would take a picture of Miss Priss with her class Easter treats, especially since she didn't get to help this time.  I did have one little helper though, big shout out to Danny for helping sort sprinkles, among other things.  Whew!!!  Long post, long project...glad it's over!!  Happy Easter, Y'all!!!