Ice Cream Graham-wiches

A few weeks ago, while browsing Pinterest, I found a recipe for Ice Cream Graham-wiches.  Supposedly, they are the lower-fat version of ice cream sandwiches.  We love ice cream, and both of my boys- the grown up one and the little one- love sprinkles, so I decided to give it a try.

I wanted to pass along the recipe because we loved them!

Ice Cream Graham-wiches

Ingredients

• Approximately 30 graham crackers, broken in half
• Large box sugar free chocolate pudding
• 8 ounces sugar free or lite whipped topping
• Milk
• Sprinkles and nuts, optional

Instructions

1. Prepare pudding with milk, according to package directions. Whip in whipped topping and blend until smooth.
2. Place a large dollop on a graham cracker and top with another. Dip each side into sprinkles or nuts if desired.
3. Place in individual zipper seal sandwich bags and freeze until firm

Recipe and Photo via 

Some additional notes:

I read that they should take approximately an hour to firm, and we were able to eat them after an hour without making a huge mess, but they were really best after two hours in the freezer.  

The pudding/cool whip mixture made a huge bowl, and I got tired of making sandwiches after about, oh, the millionth one.  So I ended up eating a huge bowl of banana pudding/cool whip mixture the next day.  :)

These will stay good in the fridge for up to a week.  I would put them in a ziploc bag once they're completely frozen.

And... just in case you were ready to call me a dessert genius, last night I took dinner to some friends who had a baby, and brought lemon bars.  You know, the boxed kind?  I made some for us, too.  Ours never set up (and I made them in the morning), so I'm sure theirs didn't, either.  We ate lemon goo.  How did I screw that up?!  

Happy Ice Cream Graham-wich eating!

Cousins

Last weekend, we went to Southern IL for the wedding of Frank's cousin Anna.

It also gave Jacob an opportunity to spend time with his cousins Jenna and Brett.  Jenna was in Anna's wedding,  so we didn't see her most of Saturday, but Brett came over to play with Jacob.

Jacob must have been worn out after playing in the pool because he napped most of the afternoon!  By the time he woke up, everyone else was getting ready to leave for the wedding.  I hadn't planned on Jacob and I going to the actual wedding, so it was no big deal that he slept so late.

I was so excited to get him dressed.  Obviously, he knew he was rockin' his look.

After the wedding, Frank picked us up for the reception.  I really should have gotten more pictures of the reception hall as it was really lovely; I was just a little busy with a bored, hungry toddler.

(Okay, well, he looks harmless enough in this picture, but trust me, it wasn't all smiles and snuggles.)

We had the best table.  We got to sit by Grandma Anna, Jenna, and Brett

and Janell, Aunt Dianne, Great Grandma Vivian, and LaVern.

Like most people, Jacob's highlights of the evening included food

and dancing!

He did not get his dancing skills from either one of us!  The boy has some moves!

Jenna and Brett spent the night with us that night since their parents were out of town.  The next morning, after some delicious waffles, the kids lounged around in their pj's and played.

We went out to eat for lunch.  Notice they're still playing with the iPod?  Jacob was in electronics heaven!

We had a great weekend celebrating with all of our cousins!

Shout Outs

Giving a shout out to.....

Cover Girl Eyebrow Pencil in Soft Blonde- You are not Clinique Eyebrow Pencil in Soft Blonde, but you  allow me to have eyebrows when both department stores in town are out of Clinique.

The bunnies in the backyard-  You win, guys.  I will not be planting flowers there. 

Frosted Cheerios- delicious and nutritious

My student who turned in his paper at 12:18am... 18 minutes late... making it a zero- It takes a special person to call/email/text me in the middle of the night for the assistance throughout the past 8 weeks, and then still manage to get a zero on the paper.

The Pioneer Woman- Asian Noodle Salad  is a really awesome dinner salad on a hot summer night.  It also made so much I had to split it into two bowls.  One bowl I gave to the neighbors and the other we will eat for days.  

My rose bush- I thought you were dead, and then last week, you bloomed!

Morning Routine

I was talking with someone recently who couldn't believe that our weekday morning routine is so structured.  Actually, our whole day is pretty structured, but 6-8 am in particular, runs like clockwork.

When Jacob was first born, I found things worked out better if I had my time in the morning to shower, put on makeup, and fix my hair. It's equivalent to putting on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.  I've heard of a lot of new moms who stay in pj's all day or say they don't have time to shower.  Quite honestly, staying in my pj's depresses me, and I know it's all about priorities, but if you want a shower, take a shower.  Baby + bouncy seat = problem solved.

On a normal day, we wake up around 6 am, and I hop in the shower while Frank changes Jacob's diaper and gives him a sippy cup of milk.  Frank makes coffee and eats a power bar while he checks email and Facebook.  Jacob either plays with his cars or watches cartoons in the playroom during this time.

It takes me a few minutes *cough* to get ready.  I believe in the following principle:

So by 6:45-7:00, I finish my routine, make the beds, and choose Jacob's outfit for the day.  Frank is in the shower by 7, while I get Jacob dressed.

By 7:10 Jacob is eating breakfast.  Typically, he has 3 choices for breakfast:  hot cereal (Cream of Wheat), cold cereal, or an Eggo waffle.  Like any kid, he goes through phases, but lately he has chosen hot cereal or cold cereal.  I have a 1/2 cup of coffee and sit at the table with him while he eats.

Around 7:20, Frank comes downstairs and tries to take the rest of the coffee.  I remind him ever -so-sweetly that I still want my allotted 1/2 a a cup.  (I try to be a good girl with the caffeine when I'm pregnant.)  Jacob finishes breakfast, Frank feeds the cat, and leaves for work.

From 7:30-8:00 is my breakfast and computer time.  Jacob usually watches Cat in the Hat (Worst.  Show.  Ever.) during this time.

We start our "work" by 8 am.  What work we do that day depends on the day of the week, since I assign different jobs to different days (i.e. Monday is my day to grade, Tuesday I clean bathrooms, etc.)

When Baby #2 arrives in the next 10 or so weeks----10 weeks!!!---- the schedule will shift again, but since we are very routine-loving people, I'm hoping to get back to "normal" as quickly as possible.

Famous last words.

Summer Fun

Father's Day Commercial

I saw this commercial this weekend, and as the mom of (almost) 2 boys, I thought it was an awesome Father's Day Commercial.  (You might need a Kleenex...)