More Activity Pics

Here are a couple quick pics of the things we've been doing instead of writing on the blog!

Aiden playing outside in his inflatable splash pool:

The very first tomatoes we got off the cherry tomato plant last week (the one that wasn't uprooted!):

Aiden LOVING the huge beach-entry shallow end of the new pool at our gym:

Aiden and his favorite girlfriend "Oliviaups" (Olivia) eating cake while Olivia's dad keeps a close eye on them and grills Aiden about his career and retirement plans: (ROFL!)

Next, I found this pic taken at my parent's lake house on Easter morning and thought I would post it. Most of my friends have met my very tan-complexioned, brown hair & brown eyed sister. This picture shows my brother and his wife along with Brian and I:

I know, I know, we don't look anything alike! Courtney - my blonde sister-in-law - and I are CONSTANTLY believed to be sisters because we look much more alike than AJ and I do. AJ, Sheena and I all share the exact same set of parents and we all look very different from one another. Genetics are crazy, aren't they? Oh, and my (younger) brother is 6'4", which should help explain why Aiden is so tall. The guys in my family are HUGE! I am actually the shortest of the Sullivan siblings & in-laws which I LOOOOOVE after years of being one of the tallest in my classes. It's so nice to be labeled "short" for a change!

Caught Blue-Handed

Aiden and I made playdough for the first time today and I let him select colors from the McCormic Neon food colors I bought at Easter. The recipe called for kneading food coloring into the dough. The lime green worked well and rinsed easily off my hands. The blue was a whole different story... the photo below is after ELEVEN hand washings:



I look like a robbed a bank! LOL! Here's the playdough culprit:



And the three we made. I left the third white - we are DONE with food coloring for today!



Of course the playdough held Aiden's interest for maybe four minutes before he realized I could only yell at him from the sink while my hands were covered in blue suds. Then the REAL fun began. He made a bee-line for the open bathroom cabinet and had a delightful time making a baby powder fog storm.

Meanwhile I discovered that twenty-something hand washings with a scrub sponge, two exfoliating sugar scrubs and a one-minute bleach soak will remove the bluest blue food coloring from your skin. Bonus: My hands have never felt so smooth and soft! I'm sorry my friends missed seeing me with blue hands but I thought you would enjoy the pictures! ;)


"Look Mom, Blue Hands" No-Cook Playdough Recipe:

1 cup flour
3/8 cup salt
3/8 cup hot tap water
food coloring* (optional)

*If using food coloring add hand soap, Scotch Brite sponge, Bath & Body Works sugar scrub and Clorox bleach to the list of required materials.

Combine flour, salt & water in a bowl; mixture will be crumbly. Knead until a dough forms, adding food coloring gradually as you knead if desired. Play! Refrigerate dough in ziplocks for up to one week. Then scrub & bleach hands while making empty threats from the sink.

My Handy Hubby

Brian has done some really nice projects for me lately that deserve some recognition. He does enjoy making the blog and I was really excited about these projects because I got everything on clearance for half-price or less! YAY!

First up is the new white office shelf he hung for me last night. I was thrilled and thought the wall turned out really cute! (Kelsey is selling the pink & green metal frames if you want some, too. They're magnetic so my "naughty" and "xoxoxo" magnets fit perfectly!)



Next is the new kitchen table pendant light Bri installed:



And one of the two matching entry & hallway lights:




He did a great job and got them up pretty quickly! We both liked how they made everything feel more formal. (I got a STEAL when I haggled a poor Lowe's employee to death to discount already-clearance-priced lighting.) I learned that any manager can reduce the price on clearance merchandise - a trick I will be using much more often in the future! :D

Last but not least is the shoe organizer Brian got me for Mother's Day:



I'm always encouraging Bri to "get creative" and "think outside the box" when it comes to gift ideas for me. Apparently my shoes were in his way. Boy, did I learn my lesson! I'll spell out my Mother's Day gift wishes MUCH more clearly next year! ROFL! Meanwhile it is nice to have all my dress shoes organized for easy grabbing and Brian even custom-sized this organizer to fit in the space below the builder-installed shelves. I love that he's so handy!