Take Me Back Tuesday - USSR

Welcome to Take Me Back Tuesday! You can participate and/or check out other Take Me Back Tuesday posts at A Giveaway Addicted Mommy.

We were in Odessa, Ukraine...at the time it was still kind of the USSR as it was all breaking apart. We were there for about 6 weeks on an exchange program. Would couldn't go when we initially planned to because of the Gorbachev coup. We couldn't go home as expected either because of civil unrest. And I'm pretty sure we were told to try to "blend in" and if anyone asked, that we were from the Baltic Republic (nobody would have believed it - we smiled way too much). "Our Russians" (as we liked to call them) had come to stay with us earlier that year. I could fill pages with memories from the trip.

So here I am in my letter jacket (a must have those days) and a huge scrunchie. We were wearing their school uniforms. It was gray and smoggy all of the time as you can see in the background. We were there over Thanksgiving and I brought one can of Spaghetti O's and a can opener so I could celebrate :) The priorities of a high schooler!

Tempt My Tummy - Spinach and Strawberry Salad

This is what I am bringing to Easter dinner at my in-law's this weekend. It is so good and so spring-y! Enjoy your week.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.

In a medium bowl, whisk together everything else. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Visit Blessed with Grace for more Tempt My Tummy recipes!

Not Me! Monday

It is NOT Monday again, is it??

I am NOT annoyed every morning by the crossing guard (she is new, we loved the previous one). She must have missed the part of her training that detailed how to stop traffic (hence the flashing lights, cross walk, bright orange clothing, etc.). She waits until there are no cars in sight...please remember this is right before school starts - RIGHT in front of the school. So we wait. And wait. And then, by the grace of God, when there are no cars in site she runs out with her stop sign and tells the kids to hurry across. This morning she commented on how busy it was (oh, really? That is so odd!) and I did NOT reply "It's a good thing you have a stop sign." To which she laughed. And we waited.........

Bigs did NOT lie about her and her friends picking all of the VERY hot habenero peppers off my plant and daring each other to try them. If she had lied about it, it would have been a great teachable moment about lies and their consequences (as she is screaming that it's BURNING). Poor dear. What a hard (but perfect) lesson to learn.

My Little Bit did NOT turn 8 months old yesterday. She did NOT learn to pull herself up to a seated position and crawl in the last 3 days. She just can't be that big already. Every time I write something about her I do NOT mention that time passed too quickly and she is getting big too fast.

I did NOT feed my friends a completely guinea pig meal last night...everything untested. The main dish took about an hour longer that I thought (cook COVERED, not uncovered, duh) and the cupcakes were my workings of the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest. They are NOT just the best friends ever and were completely OK with it :)

This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog and read about the fight they are having with baby Stellan's health. I don't think there will be a Not Me Monday post, just health updates on the little one. If you are inclined to pray, please do so!

Time Out Monday - The Secret Life of Bees and a Treat

A few weeks ago I got to watch a movie. All! By! Myself! I didn't have to get a kid movie, which is a once in a blue moon experience for me. I chose The Secret Life of Bees. I have had book on my bedside table now for many moons and haven't had motivation to start it. The movie was great so now I am starting the book. The book is always better than the movie so if the movie is great, the book must be wonderful :) I'm not going to tell you about it - go to a movie review site for that.

And to go along with the movie.....In the mail I received a free Betty Crocker Warm Delights Mini treat. Nice mail day that day! It was small - perfect portion for someone (me) who tends to take huge portions. It was also like making something for my Easy Bake Oven when I was 8. Add water to the mix, microwave for 30 seconds, and the treat is done. Same type of thing but without waiting for that little light bulb to cook it. Ah, how we have evolved :)

Time Out Monday is a new weekly feature over at My Charmed Life and she'd love for you to participate. Go check it out!

Aloha Friday - Easter Traditions?

It's Friday, which means that over at An Island Life it is time for Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So on Fridays we take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, she asks a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. Then everyone else asks a simple question of their own blog for others to answer.

I'm not one to fill my kid's baskets with candy. They eat too many sweets as it is. I get them little gifts instead. We have a fun way for the girls to find their baskets that I'm going to post about for Works For Me Wednesday. We do an easter egg tree that the girls love to decorate and of course, we dye eggs.

Do you have any Easter traditions?

Enjoy your weekend! Schools have today off so we have already started ours ~ WooHoo!

Kid Friendly Friday - Music Review

Welcome to Kid Friendly Friday! A place where we welcome your linked posts (old or new) to anything kid friendly.....recipes, crafts, books, giveaways, reviews.....Join the fun or look at all of the good ideas others have. Maybe you will be inspired :)

For this week's Kid Friendly Friday I wanted to share with you some of our favorite kids CDs.

1. Justin Roberts - Meltdown - We received this as a birthday gift and my 3 year old just fell in love with it. She calls it her "3rd year Birthday" CD....(we made a mixed CD that she calls her "2nd year Birthday CD").

....And I know that this might sound outrageous, outrageous
But a meltdown is contagious, contagious
Now Mom and me were having an M-E-L-T-D – down.....

And I’d stop the world and meltdown with you.

2. Eric Ode - I Love My Shoes - I was in Lakeshore Learning one day and this was playing. I swore it was Kermit the Frog. Turns out it was pretty good.

3. Imagination Movers - Juice Box Hero - OK, I don't have this yet (ordered it for an Easter basket present) but we love the Movers and the songs are from their show. I know it's going to be a huge hit. You can listen to the songs here.

4. Laurie Berkner - Under a Shady Tree - We love her videos as well. They are energetic and make you want to dance!

Thousand Word Thursday - What a difference a year makes!

She is growing up so quickly! This was last March. Cheaper Than Therapy holds A Thousand Word Thursday each week. Go visit to check out other pictures!