Smores Dip

We were invited to our friends' house for a bbq yesterday. We brought Smores Dip. What is Smores Dip you ask?

 

It is literally the insides of a smore melted down for one lucky person to dip their graham cracker into. Much easier to eat than a classic smore. Way less in the way of using a long stick put into the fire to bring out a flaming marshmallow. Even better? No dropping said flaming marshmallow off the stick. Such disappointment when that happens.

 

 

 

Ok you'll need:

 

One 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Two containers of dark dipping chocolate

1/2 a cup of whole milk

Small jar of marshmallow fluff

Crushed graham cracker

1 bag of mini marshmallows.

 

In a 4 cup (at least) saucepan I heated the condensed milk. I didn't make it hot. Just warm enough to warm the chocolate through to melting. When it started to get warm, I added both containers of milk and when it was almost all melted in, I added the milk and used to fork to whisk it in. I used a fork because I find it keeps the chocolate from clumping, but still allows for whisking.

 

I put the pot on & took it off the heat while stirring/whisking each step to keep it warm, but not burned.

 

I poured the whole thing into a round 12" casserole dish.

 

Heat the fluff (still in its jar) in the microwave for 20 seconds. If/when you see it rise above the top of the jar, it's warm enough. Then use your fork and scoop the whole jar into the chocolate mix and swirl.

 

 

Top with crushed graham crackers and then 1/2 the bag of the mini marshmallows.

 

 

 

Place under the broiler, but not to close lest you burn the marshmallows. But... if you do burn them... you'll be thrilled about the crushed graham crackers. You'll also be thrilled you have another 1/2 a bag of marshmallows still. The graham crackers will allow you to peel the marshmallows off and start anew.

 

OOPS

 

 

 

Don't worry. Because it's just the top of the marshmallows that are overly fire roasted, when you peel them off the whole thing (protected by the crushed graham crackers) will still taste delish.

 

When the marshmallows are just browned, take it out and let everything cool. It will remain dip like all day.

 

 

Serve with graham crackers for dipper. Also good with pretzels. I'm sure fruit would work too. You know just to make it healthy.

 

 

Next time I'm making it into a pie and using less condensed milk and no milk to allow it to firm up when it's cooled. While still warm I'll pour into a premade graham cracker pie crust and put under the broiler the same way.

Sean's 1st IEP meeting

Sean's IEP meeting  went well. Took longer than expected, but Sean will have speech 2x a week for 30 mins. 1 session will be in the classroom working on social conversation and 1 he will be pulled out for 30 minutes to work on things without distraction.

The SpEd teacher will work within his classroom 2x a week for 30 minutes on perfecting some things he's already doing. Both people will be going to his school for therapies. All in all it went well. We didn't have to fight for or about anything.

Everyone agreed that the speech therapist conducting the eval was not right for this preschool eval. She was completely off base on her assessment and subsequently her goals. So the goals were modified to better fit Sean's current need. Everyone commented that the speech eval didn't match any other part of the eval at all. It was really ridiculous. All of the other evaluations of him seemed to fit well with one another, but the speech one was completely off. She claimed to have not observed things that other therapists participating did see and put into their reports. And it's not that we're blind about where Sean is in his speech development.

PT put him right at 36 mos for gross motor. I feel like emailing our earl intervention "service coordinator" the results and telling her to shove that in the face of the evaluator that put him at 11-15 mos for gross motor development. Whatever.

We put in that therapists assigned to him should contact me 1x a week with some sort of note letting me know what worked & what didn't. That the therapist & teacher assigned should be assertive and let Sean know right from the start what's expected from him.

I didn't find them to be unreasonable. Certainly willing to make sure that Sean had something to strive for as opposed to remaining stagnant based on what we all felt he was capable of accomplishing. It was only recommended he stay in his current preschool because he is doing well there. All in all a good meeting and an easy transition to the school system for services so far.

Summers are made for memories

 

The kind of memories that my kids will snuggle up with when drinking hot cocoa as they get older.

 

The kind of memories that will serve up smiles for many days & weeks amidst the daily hustle & bustle.

 

Like braving the Atlantic Ocean (Isle of Palms) on their own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digging for shells with daddy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sitting in tide pools splashing around with mommy. Picture missing because mommy was splashing.

 

Digging in the sand with friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer kick off shindigs with friends.

 

 

 

Nothing says "PARTAY!" like muddy feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Showing off that you can actually be gentlemen and not bulls in a china shop.

 

 

Enjoying the sweet treats Charleston has to offer with a great friend.

 

 

Hanging at the aquarium and discovering that if the sign says "don't put fingers into the water", they really do mean it. Dear god. Sean almost lost a finger or 5.

 

 

Trying to eye spy some dolphins in the harbor

 

 

 

Rocking some movie star style (complete with toddler tude) when you steal your sister's sunglasses.

 

 

 

So far our summer has been filled with great memories. Memories I know I will treasure and I hope the kids will treasure as well. We cannot thank Kerri & John enough for hosting our brood this weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

How's the summer treating you?

Right now I'm sitting on my front porch. I'm enjoying a glass of vino and just sort of making sense of the last few weeks. Taking it all in. I feel like it's been forever since I sat on the "stoop" in the summer time. Granted I don't have a "stoop" now, but....

 

I would say that summer so far has been interesting. Between the monsoon rain and then the all consuming heat....

Of course there is the losing sight of Sean at both the pool (twice) and the zoo. That boy is the source of all my gray hair. For real. Becoming closer with some friends (you know who you are). Finding our "spot" in the community as a whole.

 

We are not doing to badly this summer.

 

I am officially 26 weeks  (and change) pregnant. And while I was pregnant with both Meredith and Sean in the summer, this time around is different. Much different. For starters.... the humidity down in NC is just that. It's humid. It's not smoggy humidity. It's just plain humid. I sweat, but I don't feel like I need a shower 10 seconds after I step outside my door. And with my last 2 children, I wasn't chasing Sean around like a crazy nut. Man that boy is stealthy & quick.

 

And geez.... I'm 26 weeks pregnant. I have 14 weeks left and while I would never wish for a preemie or a baby who wasn't done cooking.... I am so over being pregnant. I am so uncomfortable. This baby went from hanging out really low to planking. I look like I'm harboring a torpedo in there.

 

 

Please... don't mind the hair. That's the after the pool shower hair.

 

But gawd.... my self esteem is really not in the best of spots and getting bigger is really not doing anything for me. I feel like I'm lumbering around and just barely able to move. I'll spare you the gory details.

 

All told I haven't gained much in the way of weight. Yet. And what weight I have gained has been centered at the belly. So I'm grateful for that. As of 3.5 weeks ago I had only gained 10lbs. I can't imagine I've gained that much more.

 

Rob & I have learned some valuable lessons thanks to Sean. We were able to be very lax with Meredith. She never left our side and was always content doing just what she was doing. Not Sean. He is a ball of constant movement & independent exploration. I'm told it's a boy thing.

 

We learned (thanks to my friend Erin) that it doesn't matter if you no longer get invited to BBQs because your friends at the pool think you're part of a Special Ops military team. Your son will be safe. We have learned that kids will get used to their puddle jumpers.
 

. Our son has learned that if you don't wear one... well... you get locked into the stroller to sit & watch ALL the other kids play with your toys in the water. Now at least if his parents decide to have a conversation and he wanders off... we don't have to look at the bottom of the pool. We haven't had a wandering issue since the 2nd & last time at the pool.

 

Did you ever think a puddle jumper could be so comfy?

 

 

I have since brought the kids to the pool twice by myself. And by George... I nailed it! No one got lost. No one cried or had a meltdown. Potty breaks were facilitated by friends watching the little guy. Everyone got their recommended dosage of applied & reapplied sunblock. I managed to keep everyone hydrated and to keep their bellies full.

I even managed to get both kids in the water at the same time and neither of them felt slighted. Woot woot!!!

 

Meredith is learning how to trust herself in all aspects. Even in the pool. It's so amazing to watch her experiment and see what else she's capable of. I think she's so amazing.

 

 

 

 

She has started camp. She goes in the mornings 3 days a week. I have been kind of iffy about sending her, but she seems to enjoy it. At least from the last 2 days. She goes again on Friday. She asks for me to walk her in in the morning, but has no problem being led out with her counselor in the afternoon. Baby steps. I can handle it. Maybe.

 

On Sunday we met up with a beginning photographer to have some photos taken. I decided that I'd be bold and wear white. I didn't get all matchy matchy with the family because quite frankly I just want everyone to be comfy. And if that means Meredith wore her giraffe dress while the boy had on blue... then so be it. I wasn't starting the day off badly. She could've worn a clown suit for all I care. Ok maybe not a clown suit.

 

Anyway... I decided to go against my norm and wore white. I'm almost regretting that. I was incredibly bloated and probably could've used a little camouflaging black, but I didn't want to blend in with the scenery.

 

What she has sent me so far I really like. I don't necessarily like how I look, but I like what she's captured.

 

Ok I'm half way lying.... I LOVE my hair. Read: Pink Puffy Heart LOVE. I just wish carrying a child in your arms didn't result in odd body/clothing angles and weird posture. Humpf.

 

She's captured our love for each other. I love those moments of unposed happiness while trying to pose for a frameable family picture where everyone is looking & smiling.

 

 

 

Come on... do you not love the giraffe hugging Huck Finn picture?

 

The hat....? Well since you've asked. The hat was Rob's gpa's (who has passed away). I decided to bring it out because Rob really likes the hat and I thought it would be nice for Rob's son to wear his great-gpa's hat, but the hat has seen better days. Between moving & then storing the hat.... Sean however, could care less what kind of condition that hat is in. He adores it. He wears it sideways, backward. He doesn't care as long as it adorns his head.

 

At the moment it is sitting on my dining room table waiting for itty bitty hands to wake up in search of it.

 

I never knew a hat could make a kid so happy, but it does.

 

 

 

The only problem is fighting with the boy when he insists on wearing it to the pool. That's where I draw the line because it will get really ruined there. Not just loved.

 

So that's our summer so far. Tomorrow I'll be picking up the disc with the rest of the photos from Sunday. I'm excited. I can't wait to see them.

Mom Was Hormotional and Cried Through the Whole Graduation.

Today was Lady M's graduation. My baby was so amazing. She sang. She danced. She looked so grown up even though she was the most petite kid there. I'm so proud of her. I'm pretty sure I couldn't beam any brighter.

And yes.... I was hormotional. And yes I cried through almost all of it.

And I will cry again next year when she officially graduates to kindergarten. I promise you.