Traveling Teddy

We had a special visitor this weekend. Traveling Teddy is a little stuffed bear that goes home with a different Yellow Room student each weekend. The parents and student take Teddy everywhere they go for the weekend and then journal about the events. Photos are encouraged.

In other words- blog it!

Here’s our entry- simulated here for your viewing pleasure:

TRAVELING TEDDY VISITS TEAGAN

1/23 – 1/24

We were so excited for Teddy’s visit! Teagan found a special place for Teddy to sleep- her dollhouse!

First, we gave Teddy a bath. We followed the instructions on the tag on his leg. It was fun to give Teddy a bath!

We played at home- doing puzzles and then we both put on headbands. It’s Pumpkinhead Teddy!

CONNER PRAIRIE

Daddy and Teagan took Teddy to Conner Prairie to play! He enjoyed the dollhouse, gardening, and he even milked a cow!

Teagan brought Teddy to her cousin Corbin’s basketball game. Our team won! Yay!

On Sunday, Teddy sang at church with Teagan’s Mommy. We also took Teddy to the grocery store and he loved seeing so much honey by the peanut butter!

We also watched the COLTS GAME! Can you tell who my new friends are?

Teagan Elmo Teddy Touchdown Monkey

********

2 pictures somehow got missed when I placed the print order- one of Teddy singing at church…

And Teddy at the grocery store…

That last picture should have tipped us off.

There are the… other pictures…

See, Friday night, we kept hearing strange noises. I woke up and swore I’d heard the fridge door open and close but… nothing. Jeff thought he heard something rustling around on the couch.

So we set up a motion detector camera and were shocked at what we found out about Traveling Teddy! I think he’s earned his name because he really gets around!! Fair warning- these images are NOT safe for children! Oh, the shame!

Teddy! A fight club? Really? Oh… Teddy…

And I am far too embarrassed to tell you about what I found on my laptop’s history… oh… Teddy…

And that fridge noise? He drank my wine! I don’t know what the legal age is for stuffed bears but I have to imagine this is NOT legal! Oh… Teddy…

And then… most horrifying… his wild night culminated into a brazen evening with a sweet honey… oh…. Teddy… For SHAME!

Fair warning to other parents who welcome Traveling Teddy into their home. Lock up your honey bears!! They aren’t safe with this party animal around!

Need A Weekend Activity?

Pick dandelions

 

Run down a hill

 

Climb up a hill

 

Watch the clouds

 

Roll

 

Run

  

Collect pollen

 

Snuggle

Photos taken at Fishers Heritage Park at White River. 

Have You Got The Cajones?

A fun little challenge... that may be hard for some, easy for others. From Lisa @ Adventures in Motherhood Post a picture of yourself right now. As you are right now. As you read this. No running to get dressed or put on make up or fix your hair or whatever. Just YOU. I'm generally not afraid to share what I look like at any given time. I like to change my profile picture to match my mood, for example. Or spontaneously decide to post about eating Peeps or record my own rap video.

So- here's me at work. No makeup, hair in a ponytail. Yep- I'm high fashion. See my lovely phone and files and my iced tea cup? Big excitement! Ah- the head phones. I listen to music on my phone a lot. But right now, I'm listening to a sermon from Pastor Sam of Dwell & Cultivate. He's C. Beth's dad, in case you didn't know.

So there you have it. Me. As I am. As everyone sees me. And as you guys have seen me oodles of times.

Anyone brave enough to play along? Ready... Set... CLICK!

What Daddies Do Best, Vol 3

Jeff might kill me for these next pictures. Seriously.

Teagan and Jeff have always had this history of taking these fantastic naps together. She often sleeps better just by having Daddy sleeping close by. If I fall asleep in Teagan's bed, she doesn't snuggle. If I hold her, she soon scoots away, wanting her own space. But if she falls asleep with Daddy... snuggle city. He gets the best end of the deal. And I get to take some great pictures.

So, honey... don't be embarassed that I'm showing these to the world. Because they are some of the sweetest pictures and they really show this special bond between the 2 of you. Some of the best moments in my mommyhood has been happening onto these sleeping moments, when I see, sometimes, just how alike the 2 of you are.

See- peas in a pod!

And to think it all started with naps on the couch...

What Daddies Do Best, Vol 2

Smooch!

Zach has learned how to give kisses. And it's about the most adorable thing ever. I remember when each of my younger brothers learned to give kisses- big open mouths, thrusting tongues, slobbering all down your cheekbone. Hope their girlfriends don't mind. Teehee.

Zach is a polite kisser. He leans forward, aiming for your mouth. And he just rests his little baby lips on yours and then pulls back with a huge grin on his face! He knows his power... I just hope he chooses to use it wisely.

A Snowy Day

How to Make Banana Blueberry Muffins

I know it's been almost a week since Teagan and I actually made our Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins. Now you get to find out exactly how we made them! First, get an almost-four year old to put the papers in the muffin tin. This has been Teagan's expertise in the kitchen since she was 2. She's gifted that way. Next, assemble your ingredients and find a cute kid to stand next to them. Ingredients: 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) 1/4 cup wheat germ 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 ripe bananas, (when mashed, about 3/4 cup) 1/3 cup reduced-fat (2 percent) milk (I used whole because that's what we buy) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup frozen blueberries Preheat your oven to 375. Whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugars.

It will look like this.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. In yet another bowl, mash up your banana. I use frozen bananas. Whenever I have banana on the counter that starts getting too brown for the people in my family to eat, I toss it in the freezer. Frozen bananas are great for baking. And for making baby food (sidebar- I made all of the food that both of my babies ate. Neither ever ate a jar of food, at least not from my hands! I didn't set out that way but it ended up being so stinkin' easy that I just kept going with it and suddenly... no more purees, just table food. I think making my own baby food made the transition to table food easier.).

Add your milk and vanilla to the mashed banana.

" With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. "

I forgot to take a picture of the frozen blueberries in the batter. Or even of the batter after all of that alternating of flour and banana mash... so skip right ahead to...

Fold blueberries into batter. (Fold them because they are delicate and if you just stir them, the berries and juices will just take over the batter and everything will be bluish-purple. If you don't know how to "fold," think of it like laying the blueberries on top in a strip and then tucking them into bed for the night. You just ease batter up and over, up and over and the blueberries will incorporate into the batter gently.)

Fill up those muffin cups! The recipe makes 12 so fill them pretty full.

"Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more. "

While waiting for those muffins, try on your big sister's winter coat. You will feel all special and stuff.

YUMMY! MUFFINS!

Look at that blueberry goodness!!

You want to run out and make some right now, don't you??