We all scream for ICE CREAM!

Today we took a field trip to Mimi and Grandpa's house to water the plants. They put in some new landscaping but they don't have sod yet, so the sprinkler system isn't on. After watering the trees, we headed down to the splash park. To our surprise, the ice cream truck was there! We all enjoyed a yummy treat before having a blast in the splash pad.

TS Colin

Today we had a tropical storm warning. Colin was causing rain and wind all over the state. Fortunately we were not severely impacted; just some rain. AND since it wasn't thunderstorms, just rain showers, the kids asked if they could play in the rain. This is one of their favorite things to do in the summer!

So fun!

Ice cream!

For my birthday this year, my friend Susan gave me an ice cream maker. Today the kids and I decided to make strawberry ice cream. It was super easy to do! We mixed the ingredients and put them in the freezer while we ate dinner. Then, 20 minutes in the ice cream machine and voila! Strawberry ice cream! YUM!!

Here they are watching it churn:




And here's the best part: taste-testing!

      

Here's the recipe we used:

1 pound strawberries, trimmed, halved if large
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream

Mash strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt using a potato masher in a large bowl. Let stand, stirring and mashing occasionally, 10 minutes.

Transfer half of strawberry mixture to a blender and purée with cream until smooth. Return strawberry cream to bowl with remaining strawberries and chill, stirring occasionally, until very cold,

Freeze mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.

EPCOT

Today was our last visit to Disney World before our passes are blacked out for the summer. We decided to go to EPCOT (or as Liam calls it, Eff-a-cot, LOL). We had so much fun. We were able to get FastPass+ for Soarin' which Liam had never been on before--last time we had tickets, he was too small. And Bailey was fairly little as well so she didn't really remember the ride. That was really awesome to be able to ride it together! We also took everyone on Mission: Space. B REALLY didn't want to ride and she fussed about it the whole time we were in line. However, she ended up LOVING it and asked to ride again. We also found this Hidden Mickey outside of Mission: Space!

Sunday we are going to Sea World with Mimi!! We're really being tourists this week!

SUMMER!

Today was the last day of school! Can't believe I now have a 5th grader, a 3rd grader, and a kindergartener!!!

Here's a photo of our gang before the bus arrived this morning.



After school we celebrated by having lunch at Burger King and then to the park before heading home to swim and play. It was a great day!

Liam's Pre-K Graduation

Well, tonight the youngest McDowell graduated from preschool. I can hardly believe he'll be starting kindergarten in the fall. Something tells me it's going to be REALLY hard to put him on that bus when August rolls around.

The graduation theme was Dr. Seuss' "Oh, the Places You'll Go" and the kids did a wonderful job. They performed songs and dances and even sign language. I got a couple cute photos of Liam, including one with his teacher, Mrs. Irma.







Pre-k was a great year and I know Liam is going to do really well in kindergarten.

Green belt test!

Today Liam finished his second semester of karate with Karate Zoo. He had his green belt test today and I'm proud to say he passed! He's a bit of a goofball but he seems to really like karate.

When he got home he started trash talking Daddy: Daddy has a yellow belt from when he was a kid, and now Liam is one belt higher than that. He said, "Now I got a green belt and Daddy still has a boring old yellow belt!" LOL

Here's a link to the video:
https://youtu.be/lLtW3tvsAhk

Science Fair Winner!!

Tonight was the science fair at CIL. All third, fourth, and fifth graders participate, although third graders do their experiments as a class. Fourth and fifth graders do their own experiments and I like the system because all of the planning, research, analysis, and writing is done at school to ensure that parents don't "help" too much. All we had to do at home was the actual experiment and putting the board together.

Emily decided to do her project on the best way to store cut fruit. Specifically, she wanted to know how to store apple slices so they wouldn't brown. She tested storing them in plastic wrap, plastic bags, in and out of the refrigerator, and in a pan of water. Here she is making her board:





Today at school, the judges (science professors and graduate students from UCF!!) came to look at all of the students' projects. They selected 12 students from each grade to interview. We knew that if Emily was chosen to be interviewed, she would receive some sort of award at the science fair. They gave Judges' Awards, Honorable Mentions, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards. I asked Emily's teacher if there was any way to find out if she was getting an award so that her daddy could be there at the ceremony that evening. She said she would have Emily call me if she was selected to be interviewed.

Well, most of the day went by and by 1:00, I figured that Emily hadn't been chosen, So you can imagine my surprise when the phone rang at 1:37 and it was Emmy's school! Emily said, "Mommy, I got interviewed by the judges! So I might get a judges' award!" But Emily did not get a judges' award. Emily won SECOND PLACE in the science fair! And her best friend won third place, so they were really excited about that.

   

We are all so proud of her!

Field Trip

Today I got to go on a field trip with Emily's class to Fort Christmas. I'd never been there before and Emily was so excited that I was selected to go. It was a really cool trip! We learned about the pioneers who came to Florida and how they lived. They have several historic homes that were relocated to the site of the fort. The guides taught us how to do laundry, make candles, grind corn, and feed livestock. We got to taste butter that we churned and sample cane syrup harvested from the sugarcane plantation they have on site. It was a really fun and educational day! And luckily for us it was overcast so it wasn't nearly as hot as it could have been.

 Doing laundry

 learning about candlemaking

 getting ready to dip candles

 learning about churning butter and grinding corn

 feeding the chickens

I'm really glad I was able to go on this trip with her.

Bailey's birthday

We didn't have a birthday party for Bailey this year. Will offered to get Disney tickets instead of a party and B loved that idea. We did invite family over for swimming and cake today. Mommy made an awesome rainbow cake (and chocolate cupcakes):

  

 I think everyone was surprised when we cut it open! It was quite a lot of work to make but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Everyone thought I'd ordered it from a bakery!

Then Bailey got some lovely presents. Here she is in a dress Aunt Joann sent from Pennsylvania:


She was very excited about the tiara that Miss Susan gave her:


She also received some lovely outfits, two swimsuits, some books, and a backpack for our trip this summer.

For a kid who wasn't getting a party, I think she made out pretty well!!

Magic Kingdom

 before entering the park

   on the monorail

Today, the kids and I went to Magic Kingdom. We got there right at opening and headed straight to the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. It was our first time riding. Bailey did not want to ride--she doesn't like rollercoasters. Everyone else loved it. Bailey said she liked it 10%, LOL.

 Main Street, USA

Since we got there early, we were able to do the PeopleMover, race cars, Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Caribbean, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Flying Carpets. Then we had ice cream! It was a wonderful day.

  

Disney Springs... and a surprise

Today we decided to take advantage of the lovely weather we've been having and go down to what used to be the Disney Village Marketplace and what is now Disney Springs. We hadn't been there since they redid it and we were looking forward to exploring.



They added some new shops and restaurants as well as remodeled the walkways. One thing the kids
really like is the Lego store, with its life-size Lego sculptures:



As we were walking around, Will pulls Bailey aside and starts whispering to her about something. Next thing I know, we're in line at guest relations buying Disney passes, which Will offered to get instead of doing a birthday party for Bailey this year! Of course we went right to Magic Kingdom. And of course it was MOBBED... that's what we get for going during spring break!



So now we have most of a year to visit the Disney parks. I'm excited because I love Disney, and last time we had tickets Liam was only 2 so he doesn't remember it at all.

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful Easter morning. The Easter Bunny left us an egg hunt with scavenger hunt clues to find our goodies!

Here's the picture we had done with the Easter Bunny this year:


Mommy also took some pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits because they looked so adorable.

   

Visiting Santa

Last night I took the kids to the mall to see Santa. They were very excited to go, although Bailey was a little disappointed that they left their wish lists at home. I told her we could mail those and that seemed to help.

Here is what they asked Santa for this year: Emily wants a laptop, Bailey wants and iPod, and Liam wants the Paw Patroller. Santa is going to have an expensive year!

The Mango Song

Last week Liam was going around the house singing about mangoes. It was the strangest song I'd ever heard, something about mango the mahn-go... anyway, I finally figured out what on earth he was singing!

At Liam's preschool they sing a song when they are in line walking from the classroom to the playground. It goes like this: "I've got my hands behind my back, I've got my hands behind my back, I've got my hands behind my back, listening to the teacher." THEN they sing it in Spanish: "Tengo mis manos detrás de mi..."

Tengo mis manos = Mango the mahn-gos. LOL!!