Mmmm, Mmmm, jelly bean goodness!

Last night when we got home from our Lego adventure, I asked them what they wanted to do today; an art project, a science project or a cooking project.  ALL OF IT!  Of course :-p  Well I am a Mama who aims to please, so I decided to spend at least part of the day going crazy with jelly beans.  It's not like we have a few lying around....  And what do you do with THAT many jelly beans?  I mean, really.  (Though I've got to say I tagged quite a few recipes I may be trying out over the next few days...) We had to get our science experiment going first as it would eventually lead into our art project.

So I first had them separate some of the Sweet Tart jelly beans into different glasses.  I picked these for their smell! (You'll see later)

A beautiful rainbow

Which we added hot water to and let them go for awhile.  We predicted before adding the water what we thought would happen.  Each of the kiddos thought the water would change colors and the jelly beans would disappear completely.

In the meantime, we noticed the flag was up!

Dear My “Mmmm Mmmm, Good” Little Detectives,

Are you hungry?  I thought you might be, so I left you lunch.  But first, let me explain.

“In 1869, fruit merchant Joseph Campbell and icebox manufacturer Abraham Anderson started the Anderson & Campbell Preserve Company in Camden.  By 1877, the partners realized each had different visions for the company. Joseph Campbell bought Anderson’s share and expanded the business to include ketchup, salad dressing, mustard, and other sauces. Ready-to-serve Beefsteak Tomato Soup became a Campbell’s best seller.”

That’s right, the Campbell’s Soup Company was began and continues to be headquartered in my current whereabouts.  And it just so happens when I went sneaking around the headquarters the other day (I couldn’t resist!) I stole you each a can to try out.

BUT…

Then I took off the labels.  Because I’m nasty like that, you know.  Oh, and hid them somewhere.  So here’s what you need to do.  First, solve my puzzle below.  In that location you will find three cans of soup AND two blank labels.  Color and cut out your own labels.  Then, chose a can and attach your new label to it.  Whatever is in your can will be your lunch today so choose wisely, my silly ones.

HA HA HA

Nita

Riddle: Campbell’s also owns Pepperidge Farms.  Their most famous product comes in many different flavor varieties and may be something you’d like to have swim in your soup.  I’ve left a bag of the cheddar flavor in the place they are usually kept in your house.  I think you may find your soup there as well….

They knew right where we keep the Goldfish

And found their loot!

So they set to work designing their labels and made their choices

Kayla's soup

Noah's soup

Then we got to work on our jelly bean cooking.  We decided to make jelly bean pizzas to take with us to the slumber party at the Aben's tonight.

I swear, they don't even need me in the kitchen anymore.

Patting out the sugar cooking dough on their pans

We finished up and check back on our experiment.  The coating on all the beans dissolved but left the mushy middle which we taste tested.  Not nearly as strong of a flavor anymore!  But we did notice that the water took on the smell of the jelly beans.  Yum!

So for the art part of our day, we added flour to our experiment and made paint!  We noticed that the colors were much more muted but still smelled a bit like the beans

Painting away

Noah made Aunt Shell a minion!

They had quite the time with the paints

Then it was time to figure out what was in their mystery cans from Nita

Mikayla got ABC's and Noah got Frozen :-p  They were both please and devoured lunch.

We then mixed up some frosting and decorated their pizzas

Bound and determined to make a dent in those jelly beans today....

Ta-Da!

We watched the Tigers annihilate the Twins again this afternoon (11-0 woo hoo!) and got ready to head off to the slumber party with baths and packing up.  Grant should be home soon for a quick dinner and then we're off.  The big boys are going to check out a new bar (since they missed it when Beanie was in the hospital) while Colleen and I hang with the kiddos.  Not sure what to expect with this slumber party thing - Colleen is a much braver woman than I am :-p  I have a feeling I'll have 2 exhausted kiddos on my hands when they make it back this way tomorrow, though.  Hope they have some muscles left, got something fun and tasty planned.  (nope, no planned, in mind ;-) )   So until then... 

Lego Time!

Plans change.  Including the kiddos and Grant going solo to the Lego build tonight.  Nope, decided I NEEDED to get out of the house.  So I joined them!  We had a blast :D  Had to share the pictures right away.  More tomorrow!  (Maybe) Until then...

They were so good, we got there and they got their cards

And we waited in line for almost an hour to get in

And the building began

Spaceships!

Noah's completed build

Kayla too!

And an obligatory pose with a mini storm trooper made of Lego - perfect!

A Bright Idea

 Well we made it to Day 2 of Spring Break.  Everyone is still in one piece AND I'm blogging two days in a row.  Don't get used to this I tell ya ;-)  Was bummed at the result of the basketball game last night, but oh well.  At least the Tigers won yesterday :D

The kiddos were up early (actually, the slept 'til 8:30, so I guess they weren't...) this morning and so was the flag on the mailbox!

Dear Detectives,

We have learned that a very famous man took up residence at Menlo Park, located in the state we believe Nita t currently hiding out in.  Further, it was there that this famous man came up with many inventions that changed the course of history.

We do not want to put this man’s name or his most famous invention in writing for fear that Nita’s henchmen will get their hands on it.  So we are enclosing a puzzle for you to solve with this information.  Once you complete the puzzle go to the place in your house where extras of his invention are kept and we have left some additional information for you.  Good luck, Detectives.

MOMG Intelligence

They got right to work on the puzzle where they learned....

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb!

And of course they know right where we keep them

Inside was a coloring page of a Muppet Thomas Edison (he he, Dr. Benson!) working in his Menlo Park lab

So color away they did.

We did take a lovely break out of this morning for the Aben's to come and play.  Oh how I've missed them!  It's been over a week since we've seen them so the kids had a good time playing (the nerf guns got lots of use this morning) while Colleen and I got to catch up, too.  It's kind of a dreary day around here though, so no outside.  I hear it's supposed to be like that the rest of the week, bummer.  It makes being "stuck" at home even tougher to swallow.  I admittedly have a bit of a bad attitude about it right now, so going to work on some "fun" for tomorrow.  We need a goofy day I'm thinking.  Anyway...  After the Aben's left and lunch was had, back to Edison

After, the kids remembered from yesterday's clue that a game of Monopoly was in order.  So they got out Monopoly Jr. and played together this afternoon.

While I got some baking on.  This is my new FAVORITE cinnamon roll recipe.  No yeast and they come together from start to finish in about half an hour!  Everyone who's tried them LOVES them

Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Later this afternoon Grant is taking the kiddos to Somerset for the free lego build tonight.  They're excited.  So a few quiet hours around here I have NO IDEA what to do with...  I like the idea of a free few hours but am feeling trapped here.  Only a few more weeks.  I hope.  Alright, off to figure out some fun for tomorrow ;-)  Until then...

Opening Day and the Boardwalk

Hope that everyone had a Happy Easter!  I'm going to just say not to expect regular posts from now on.  Just check in on us, we'll be here when we can, too many other things are up and down to be for sure about anything right now.  But we're here now!  And my kiddos are on Spring Break this week.  And, it's one of my favorite days of the year to live in Michigan - Opening Day of Tigers baseball!!!!

My crew was up and at 'em early this morning, decked out in all their gear and ready to watch the game!  Honestly, it is always a great day to be "almost" from Detroit.  We love watching the opening ceremonies and the game together.

But first....  Nita paid us a visit! (Well, MOMG Intelligence did) 

Dear Detectives,

We have learned that a certain, very popular board game (at least the “classic” version – there are MANY different versions) has important ties to the state that we feel Nita is currently hiding in.  It seems the locations used in the games are actual locations in the state.  The most well-known location that appears in the game is actually a very famous tourist location for the state.  (We hear you can take a stroll there, eat a certain “salt water” candy and catch some rays along the beach.  Sounds like fun!)  We know that you enjoy games, and feel that if we give you some information you will be able to figure out exactly what game we mean.

Solve the enclosed puzzle to figure out what game it is that we mean.  Since you have some time this week, we suggest playing one of the versions you own to see if it will spark any ideas on where Nita may be.  Good luck, Detectives!

MOMG Intelligence

PS – GO TIGERS!

This is the puzzle the got.  The letters for each of the properties on a Monopoly Board (which Kayla figured out before they even started!) were scrambled and they had to sort them out.  MOMG Intelligence was smart enough to leave the first letter of each word capitalized in the scramble to make it a little easier....

It took them awhile but they did get it all figured out.

We invited the Janoch's to come over and watch the game with us, and what's baseball without hot dogs and cracker jacks? 

If you didn't catch it, it was a GREAT game!  2 HR's, 3 stolen bases, and David Price pitched all the way up to the last batter!  Tigers win 4-0!  Grant'll be home for dinner shortly and then the crew is going to the park to burn off some energy.  Looks like this may be the only decedent day for it all of Spring Break.  Then tonight Grant and I are going to watch the Wisconsin hopefully do the Big 10 proud in the NCAA Championship game tonight.  It's an awesome day to be a sports fan!  Hopefully we'll be back tomorrow, but you know me and plans lately.  So until then...