July 2nd, 2011

I couple months ago I got a surprise in the mail.  My Aunt Anna (who officially has the most beautiful smile) purchased a subscription of Disney’s Family Fun magazine.  I thought it was a thoughtful gesture, but had never seen the magazine before.  When I got the postcard telling me to expect my first issue I expected the magazine to be about Disney World, Disney Cruises, Disney Movie Characters, etc.  You know, family fun IN Disney.  While I can’t wait to go back to Disney World with the girls, I wasn’t sure I needed a ton of information on a monthly basis teasing me of all the fun I wasn’t participating in.  So then I got my first issue and oh how wrong I was about this magazine!  It’s great!  Tons of activities, crafts, recipes, toy or game recommendations, holiday decorations, etc.  It’s definitely family fun stuff.  Some of the crafts or activities involve a little more time or craftiness than I’m willing to do.  I don’t want to drive all over God’s creation to pick up items to make a craft, but if it’s one trip or somewhere I need to go anyway, I’m game.  I can BARELY do crafty things and anything that involves a sewing machine is above my skill limitation.  I also get easily frustrated when my creation looks nothing like the picture.  That being said, I have ripped out about 8 things I plan to do with the girls and that’s just from 2 magazines.  First thing on the list, revolutionary berries.  I planned to make them with the girls and bring them to a neighbor’s 4th of July/Birthday/Housewarming Party. 

All you need is about 30 berries, blue sugar, and white chocolate chips.  All things I found at the grocery store for my weekly shopping trip.  No extra errand needed. 

Helpers.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for a minute, then stir until they completely melt.

Dip in chocolate, then sugar.  Set on waxed paper to dry.  That takes about 10-15 minutes.  Incredibly easy.

You could even do pink sugar for Valentine’s Day or green sugar around Christmas. 

For dinner that night, Trent and I took the girls to the new Joey B's in our neighborhood.  I’m so excited to have a new, non-Applebees/Olive Garden type restaurant by our house and across the street from our movie theater.  There was a 40 minute wait (hopefully a good sign Joey B’s will stick around), so we ate at a table at the bar.  Thank you St. Louis for your new non-smoking laws.  Bar areas are now fair game with the kiddos and my pillow won’t smell like cigarette smoke when I wake up the next morning. 

We decided to get an order of fried pickles thinking Lauren would love them.  She loves, loves dill pickles.

They were a hit.  A day of Family Fun.