Legos, Legos, Legos for eternity.

Our son is a LEGO boy.  Completely in love with everything Legos!  He spends so much time up in his room playing legos.  I typically find him in the mornings in his room playing legos when I wake up.  Such a sweet boy.  They have become a part of our daily routine.  He and I play with Legos while we practice his speech.  It's amazing to me how incredibly creative he is.

They have been consistently covering his bedroom floor for the past month.  So watch where you step!

Junior Chef Cooking Classes

Have you heard of the wildly successful cooking show called Master Chef Junior?  Well Michael LOVES that show.  So we have signed up Michael for some Junior Chef cooking classes on Saturday mornings at the local Williams Sonoma store in Stamford.  They hold free classes for everyone but the ones tailored for kids ages 5-11 are on Saturday's.  He has been loving going to them and the teacher is really great and interactive. 

He's made baked chicken fingers and a mayo/herb based dipping sauce.  He declared them the best chicken fingers ever. He has also done sandwiches, Easter cupcake and decorating class, different kinds of deviled eggs, breakfast bunnies, and Lunchbox lunches.

Coming up is homemade drinks and baking bundt cakes.  This has made him much more active in the kitchen and anytime I am in there whipping up something or stirring something he wants to help.  I find that if he helps prepare something he's much more likely to try it and eat it.

The first class took him 10 minutes to warm up.

On our way to the 1st class!

First thing is first....washing hands.

Following instructions.

Coating the chicken in flour and panko.

It's a messy job!

Flipping them over.

Getting ready to taste!

Thumbs up!

Cupcake making class.

Measuring and spooning.

His turn to do it.

A beautiful table set to decorate cupcakes.

Deciding what to put on it.

His creation.

He liked it but not enough to finish it.  He's just not a sweets person.

Katie got to tag along to this class.

Taking turns.

She was so excited to take the cooking class too!  Normally they don't let 3 year old in but they made an exception for her.

Delicious looking.  It smelled good too.

Happy with her creation.

She did however eat the whole thing.

Kids in the Kitchen

My kids are always in the kitchen when I am.   Usually when I am busy making dinner they are sitting at the table, drawing, or doing sand or play-doh or playing with some small toys.

Lately, I have been putting them to work. Literally.

Helping me make the dough for homemade gnocchi.

In the process of making some homemade sweet potato gnocchi.  I was in the mood for pasta but couldn't find any gnocchi on the market that didn't have gluten in it.

They turned out crispy and flavorful! Delicious!

Cutting up strawberries.  I have made the decision to teach them how to use sharp knives. That way they never become something the kids are curious about when I'm not around.

They are deeply focused on not cutting their fingers.

Helping me make some homemade mayo.

Our finished product!

We also made some homemade strawberry jello squares that actually have strawberries in them. Unlike the JELL-O brand.
The recipe can be found (HERE).  The gelatin that is used in them is so good for our bodies.  It has many many benefits.

Delicious!

I also made another version that was a sour blood orange flavor for Scott and I.  The recipe for those can be found (HERE).

Maritime Aquarium

We took the kids out to brunch and across the street to the Aquarium today.  We have been so sick of the weather and feeling cooped up in the house and needed to get out and do something we knew the kids would enjoy.  They really enjoy looking at all the different animals and handling certain animals. We got to see the seal show this time and the kids asked the trainers lots of questions after.  I can't wait to take them to the Baltimore Aquarium.

Crispy Chicken skin as an appetizer.  Everyone gobbled these up except me.  Gluten and I don't get along very well these days.  

Oh these two turkeys crack me up.

Eggs benedict over lobster cakes for me.  They were yummy but severely lacking salt!

Up close and persona with the nurse sharks.

They love to touch the stingrays.  Daddy did too!

Photo by the lizards.

The very rare black dragon with a pretty blue tongue!

Gopher hole. 

I would have bet $1 million dollars that Mikey would pick the octopus and Katie the star fish.

Super colorful but extremely poisonous frogs.

At the touching exhibit.  Here he's touching a horseshoe crab.  

Big sharks!!!!

They are so pretty to watch swim.

Captivated.

The jellies!

Trying to count how many there are.

Such a cute little turtle.

The huge leatherback.

The seal show!

It was snowing while we were at the aquarium.  What else is new.  After looking at sealife all morning we decided to stop at Stew's and buy some yummy seafood for dinner.  Is that wrong?  The kids even had some ice cream, yes even though it was freezing outside.