"I" scream

I've been wanting to try this for a while...keeping ice cream cool in a Thermos for lunch. "I" day was the perfect opportunity!Ryan's "I" lunch: iceberg lettuce & Tofurky sandwich; Italian pasta salad; ice cream.

Ryan said the ice cream
was only a little bit soft,
but "nice and creamy",
not soupy at all! Success!

Nate's snack: a piece of
Tofurky slice; a pickle;
baby carrots; vegetable
crackers.

ice cream for lunch?

Ryan's lunch: mini banana black raspberry muffin; peanuts; "ice cream cone" Tofutti cream cheese & jelly sandwich w/sprinkles; carrots sticks; smoked Tofurky "flowers" w/edamame; green beans dressed w/soy sauce.

AJ got out some clay
yesterday and made
a river with tadpoles
turning into frogs and
lilly pads and the lot...







What impressed me was
the teeny tiny tadpoles
with their itty bitty eyes!

Nate is 3!

Nate turned 3 over the
weekend. Unfortunately
it was a very busy time
for my husband with
work. He stopped by for
an hour while Nate opened
his 3 gifts. I also brought
kids in to Boston to visit
Dada at the convention
center, then walked over to Wheeler's vegan ice cream shop, but unfortunately they were closed.The boys still had fun
in the fountains and
walking around Boston.
The rain stopped luckily
while we were there.
Then we went home for
popcorn and store bought
soy ice cream.
Meanwhile, Dada had a
very successful Magic event with a record breaking 1,502 entries into the main event. And he was able to donate $2,600+ to the Boys & Girls Club of Boston from raffles over the weekend.

Since most of Nate's
friends were away on
vacation, I just used a
frozen cupcake for him.
He didn't seem to mind.
But this is probably the
last year I can get away
with the minimalist
birthday approach!

The following day I made
ice cream cookie sandwiches
with chocolate chip cookies
from The Joy of Vegan
Baking. Yet another recipe
from this cookbook that
was rather wonky in my
opinion. No instructions
about amount or placing of the dough, and a criminally insane amount of Earth Balance for what she claims makes one dozen cookies. My advice...make sure to use two baking sheets, and make 2-3 dozen smaller cookies. Even one of these cookies almost made everyone sick to their stomachs. We put most everyone's half-eaten cookie sandwiches in the freezer for later.
Nate didn't quite know where to start!

And finally, Nate met a
friend at a nearby play-
ground and received an
awesome Stomp Rocket
set which everyone
enjoyed.

Cool Cones

While in Florida, I picked up 4 of these Cool Cones at the grocery store to try. Instead of Nate wandering leaving his bowl of ice cream melting on the table or dribbling out the bottom of a soggy cone, he happily carried one of these around. He's a slow eater, unlike his brothers. When his ice cream was almost melted, I could pop the top on and stick it back in the freezer. I did this twice before he got through it all. And to my amazement, it never leaked!
And Maia had her first taste of soy ice cream in one of the Cool Cones...

She thought it was awesome...








...except for the part where it's
all gone! :-(

They are reusable of course, and
top rack dishwasher safe.