Last year I joined Psi Iota Xi. Each year we host a summer reading progam and it is held at the local elementary scool. Kids were able to come every Tuesday and Thursday in June to check out books and join in some fun activities. At the end, prizes were given to random readers and everyone was sent home with two new books, a cool bag, stickers, and candy! B and Mel were the proud recipients of a Wal-Mart gift card and a McDonald's gift card. This year's theme was "Reading Under the Big Top".
One day Scooter the clown and her helpers came to visit...
Scooter thought this girl needed help brushing her teeth...
and her hair...
She also did a few magic tricks...
Then the kids posed for pictures to put in their new circus picture frames.
B and Mel...
B and one of her besties, Dustin...
Another day, a magician came to visit...
The kids were rolling with laughter...
She had a little trouble with her magic wand..
This little boy got to work his magic and put the colors back on the American flag...
Nope. That's not right...
There we go!...
B waited very patiently and she was the last to be chosen to help the magician...
Her job was to put the colors back on the caterpillar...
Zipping up the bag...
Making sure it's empty...
Double checking that it is empty...
Collecting all the different colors...
Magic wand #1...
Magic wand #2 (they keep getting bigger)...
Magic wand #3...
Did it work?...
Sure did!...
The caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly complete with its colors. Good job B!
If you have kids...or even if you don't...I'm sure you have heard of the Wonder Pets. Our girls each went through a "Wonder Pet movie watching phase" and personally, it wasn't my favorite phase. As soon as I hear the "Teamwork" song, it is in my head for days.
It goes something like this: What's gonna work? Teamwork! What's gonna work? Teamwork!
If you are curious, or maybe just want a song in your head, then I have included a You Tube video for you viewing pleasure!
Anyhow, about a month ago we were ALL working in the garden and I immediately had that song in my head.
I think The Wonder Pets haunt me.
I started singing it thinking Brad would hear me and it would be in his head also. No such luck. I think he was just practicing his selective hearing skills! The girls started singing though.
So there we were. On a Friday night in June. It was unseasonably cold that night. I may have been complaining about how COLD it was in JUNE. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut because now I am complaining about how HOT it is!
The girls were practicing their teamwork skills by planting sunflower seeds...
Brad tilled the garden while singing "Teamwork" over and over again. We just couldn't hear him over the noisy tiller...
And I...well, I'm sure I did something besides take pictures I just can't remember.
This was a month ago.
On a cold day in June.
And I have Mom Brain.
I couldn't resist taking pix of dirty feet donning a band-aid...
and a Wrangler bottom...
and pink cowgirl boots...
We have always included the girls in garden work. They may not always want to help, but I hope that it instills in them an appreciation for their hard work.
It also teaches them to appreciate where their food comes from.
After the garden work was finished, B wanted to pose for a few pictures...
One good one and then she insisted that I take pictures of her silly faces...
Mel did NOT want to have her picture taken...
She did force a laugh at daddy though...
He may or may not have been singing, "What's gonna work? Teamwork!"
Cut steak into 1 inch chunks(the recipe says to use sirloin steaks, but anything will work. I just usually pull the first type of steak I see out of the freezer and use that).
Toss the steak with steak sauce and brown sugar.
Marinate for 2 hours....
Meanwhile, combine additional steak sauce, barbecue sauce, mustard, and brown sugar...
Place steak pieces on soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers...
Grill skewers until cooked on each side and brush generously after each turn with the barbecue sauce mixture...
Yum!!...
Caramelized Beef Skewers
1 lb. beef steak, cubed
1/2 c. steak sauce, divided
1/2 c. brown sugar, divided
1/4 c. barbecue sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Cut steak into 1 inch chunks.
Toss with 1/4 c. steak sauce and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Marinate for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine 1/4 c. steak sauce, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. barbecue sauce, and Dijon mustard; set aside.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Place steak onto soaked wooden or metal skewers.
Grill to your liking, brushing each side generously with each turn.
