Happy #8, Max McAlister | A Sherlock Holmes Party

"...and she loved a little boy very, very much.  even more than she loved herself." 

- Shel Silverstein

(A perfect quote by one of Max's favorite authors)

Dear Max, 

You changed my life the moment you entered it eight years ago today.  You taught me how greatly I had underestimated nearly everything I thought I knew about love or vulnerability or patience or happiness.  

You are so full of dreams and determination.  I often feel like a stagecoach driver pulling back on the reigns of a wild horse so ready to charge ahead into the future.  

Sometimes I grieve the little boy you used to be, but every day you are showing me the beauty of giving you the space to grow and become yourself.  I'm so in awe of the person I see unfolding.  As much time as I spend trying to hold on tight to each and every moment/detail/memory I see something even more amazing happen when I loosen my grip.

I often tell you that although you'll always be my baby, you don't belong to me.  You belong to yourself and to the world.  I hope that  inspires you to take ownership of your choices and empowers you to live your life in the way that feels right to you.

You have already made us so proud.

My whole heart,

Momma

***Max's Sherlock Holmes Birthday Party***

Max has been reading the Sherlock Holmes series (modified for kids) and he's fascinated with mysteries in general.   I love that he still let's me go all-out on his birthday theme without being embarrassed by it:)

He got to invite a few friends to go to the Escape Room at Union Station this past weekend.  There was a "221B Baker Street" themed room, so he was thrilled.  I was so impressed that the kids solved most of the clues...we were only ONE away from breaking out in time.

Then we continued the theme at his family party at home...

I put together a mystery game for the kids to play.  They had to discover who stole the party favors...and then find where they were hidden.

the party favors.

they loved this old typewritter I borrowed from my Gram.  They kept asking "where's the 'ENTER' button?"  and I'm like...."it's NOT A COMPUTER!" :))

the cousins deep into solving the mystery.

I designed the cupcake toppers, but Sullivan cut and glued them for me!

Mimi & PopPop gave him money for our Iceland trip...real Kroner to spend!

The Murray's got him one of his favorite gifts...a real chef's coat, with his name on it!

Since Max's 1st birthday we have collected items for the Ronald McDonald House in lieu of gifts.  But...he still get's plenty of nice things:)

Although nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes, this is what he wanted for his school bday treat.  Donuts to make an "8"...featuring a picture of BB-8.  You get what you want on your birthday.

I hope you had a memorable birthday, Max!

Secrets of a Lazy Mom - Quick Breakfast

I have this thing where I refuse to go to the grocery store more than twice a month.  I do a big 2-week shopping and I'll do everything in my power to make it last.  Towards the end of the two weeks the cupboards start looking embarrassingly bare, but I can always scrape something together for a meal so as not to undermine my "2 week" grocery rule.  This streak is important to me for some reason:)

Breakfast items are always the first thing to go and one evening recently, long after the kids had gone to bed, I realized that I had absolutely nothing that would pass as "breakfast" to feed them in the morning. And "grocery day" was still a day away.  Do I go out in the freezing cold and pick up a couple things??  Or I could just give them chicken nuggets in the morning and call it "Dinner for Breakfast" to make it seem like a real thing.

The only thing vaguely resembling a breakfast item was less than a cup of Old Fashioned Oatmeal I had leftover from making "Reindeer Food" at Christmas.

The other sad ingredients I had in inventory were milk, an almost empty tub of plain greek yogurt, honey and PB2 (powdered peanut butter still remaining from some health kick that didn't last).  

I had heard of "overnight oats" but didn't have a recipe.  And, again, too lazy to look one up late at night.  So I got out some parfait cups (maybe they'll eat it if it reminds them of ice cream) and just divided what I had into them.  

I remembered some lonely chia seeds (another random health-kick-thing long lost) and discovered a small bag of mini chocolate chips hidden behind the chia seeds.  I tossed in a little of both with the other ingredients and popped 'em into the fridge.

In the morning I announced we were having a special breakfast - Peanut Butter Chocolate Overnight Oats!  The word "chocolate" had them racing for the fridge.

I'm happy to report that, although our groceries have been restocked, this is the only thing they want for breakfast now.  Double bonus - I showed them how to make it so they'll make a batch on Sunday and breakfast is ready for the week. 

I love stumbling upon life-hacks.  At any rate, I'm not a food blogger, but here's how we make PB+Chocolate Overnight Oats in hopes it can make your mornings easier too...

PB+Choco Overnight Oats

*not pictured...the most important ingredient...mini choc chips!

3 Tbsp Old Fashioned Oats

1 Tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 Tbsp Honey

1/2 Tbsp PB2 (powered Peanut Butter, but real PB would work too)

a splash or two of milk, just enough to cover the oats

optional: a pinch of chia seeds + a pinch of mini chocolate chips

Stir and cover.  Refrigerate until morning.

into the fridge. at least overnight, but taste just as good after a few days.

Quick, easy, protein-packed brekkie.

More Secrets of a Lazy Mom here: 

http://murraypartyoffive.blogspot.com/2015/08/secrets-of-lazy-mom.html