Carnage

I left and came back, and this is what happened. I just can't leave these guys alone for even a minute. When Iron Man recovers, he's going to have a serious bone to pick with Human Torch.

Jamberry

It's that time of year again! Perfect timing, because we just finished the last jar of last year's jam. I'm so excited because this year I can make freezer jam (which I much prefer over cooked jam).

I miss picking my own at the strawberry patch, but how could I complain about these beautiful, sweet berries?!

Mountains and fountains

Rain down on me

Buried in berries

What a jam jamboree!

from Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Rainy Day

Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night-

And I love the rain

April Rain Song by Langston Hughes

B-A-T-S

B-A-T-S BATS BATS BATS!


Fourteen 5-6 year old T-Ball Players


Two Innings

Zero Outs

One adorable Babe-Ruth Wannabe!

Sweet List

In my blog-hopping, I recently stumbled across this list: The Sweet One Hundred. It's basically the 100 must-eats of desserts. I discovered it at the Queen of Cakes blog, but I believe she attributes it to Cakespy (also a great blog for awakening your sweet tooth). Cakespy identifies their inspiration as The Omnivore's Hundred, which also looks like fun, but I'll leave that for another day. Right now, I'm craving sweets, so this is right up my alley and I'm jumping on the bandwagon! I've copied her instructions. Let me know how you fair!

1) Copy this list into your site, including the instructions!
2) Bold all of the sweets you've eaten! (actually I'm going to make those green and untried items red)
3) Cross out any of them that you'd never ever eat.
4) Consider anything that is not bold or crossed out your "To Do" List.
5) Optional: Post a comment here linking to your results--or just post a comment letting us know how many you've tried, or what you're going to try next!

Red Velvet Cake
Princess Torte
Whoopie Pie
Apple Pie either topped or baked with sharp cheddar
Beignet
Baklava
Black and white cookie
Seven Layer Bar (also known as the Magic Bar or Hello Dolly bars)
Fried Fruit pie (sometimes called hand pies)
Kringle
Just-fried (still hot) doughnut
Scone with clotted cream
Betty, Grunt, Slump, Buckle or Pandowdy
Halvah
Macarons
Banana pudding with nilla wafers
Bubble tea (with tapioca "pearls")
Dixie Cup
Rice Krispie treats
Alfajores
Blondies
Croquembouche
Girl Scout cookies
Moon cake
Candy Apple
Baked Alaska
Brooklyn Egg Cream
Nanaimo bar
Baba au rhum
King Cake
Sachertorte
Pavlova
Tres Leches Cake
Trifle
Shoofly Pie
Key Lime Pie (made with real key lime)
Panna Cotta
New York Cheesecake
Napoleon / mille-fueille
Russian Tea Cake / Mexican Wedding Cake
Anzac biscuits
Pizzelle
Kolache
Buckeyes
Malasadas
Moon Pie
Dutch baby
Boston Cream Pie
Homemade chocolate chip cookies
Pralines
Gooey butter cake
Rusks
Daifuku
Green tea cake or cookies
Cupcakes from a cupcake shop
Crème brûlée
Some sort of deep fried fair food (twinkie, candy bar, cupcake)
Yellow cake with chocolate frosting
Jelly Roll
Pop Tarts
Charlotte Russe
An "upside down" dessert (Pineapple upside down cake or Tarte Tatin)
Hummingbird Cake
Jell-O from a mold
Black forest cake
Mock Apple Pie (Ritz Cracker Pie)
Kulfi
Linzer torte
Churro
Stollen
Angel Food Cake
Mincemeat pie
Concha
Opera Cake
Sfogliatelle / Lobster tail
Pain au chocolat
A piece of Gingerbread House
Cassata
Cannoli
Rainbow cookies
Religieuse (technically, I've had the long version, the eclair)
Petits fours
Chocolate Souffle
Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)
Rugelach
Hamenstashen
Homemade marshmallows
Rigo Janci
Pie or cake made with candy bar flavors (Snickers pie, Reeses pie, etc)
Divinity
Coke or Cola cake
Gateau Basque
S'mores
Figgy Pudding
Bananas foster or other flaming dessert
Joe Froggers
Sables
Millionaire's Shortbread
Animal crackers
Basbousa



How fun was that?! Forty-two list items tried. Most of them I loved (big surprise)! It's actually interesting to see so many things that I've never, ever heard of, along with tons of things that I've clipped a recipe for, but haven't had a chance to make yet. Now I know what to make next time! How about you?

Spring is Past

Summer is here. I know this will be difficult for some of you to believe. You may be currently or recently snow-bound. But let me assure you...Summer is here. The mercury reached 100 degrees yesterday. Our overnight low was 75. I guess I can officially say that I went the entire winter without running the heat! (Don't think that I am bragging, I'm just looking for the silver lining.) These beauties are certainly welcome to my garden- maybe they will bring some hummingbirds!

The Cardboard Box

The kids had the coolest toy this week: a cardboard box. Well, it wasn't really a box....it was an airplane, a jailhouse, a car, a train, a fort, and probably lots of other things that I didn't hear about. Along the way, of course, it needed a few modifications.

Yes, it was irritating to have dragged around the house. Yes, the sheer volume of cardboard made their room feel claustrophobic for 3 days. But, it's so much fun. It reminded me of a great, classic book: Christina Katerina and the Box. It's a super cute book that tells a story about a girl who had the very same experience (much to her mother's chagrin), in a really funny, entertaining narrative. If you or your kids have ever loved a cardboard box, then you'll love this book!

No More Naps

Don't you know that Big 3 Year Olds don't need naps??? At least that's what I was told.


It only looks like he's napping- he's really just checking out the inside of his eyelids. I know it's true, because 3 year olds "don't need to nap."

It's okay. I'll play along.

An Easter Birthday

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Luke 24:1-6


I hope everyone had a joyful Easter sunday! It was a blessing to spend the day together for the first time in several years. In the midst of our busy schedule, we had a consolidated holiday: Easter and Braden's birthday! I can't believe he's 3 already! In many ways, he still seems so babyish, but I can't deny that he's becoming more and more little boy.

Braden's sssselection thisssss year: A Sssssssnake Cake

It'ssssss ssssupremely ssssssatisfactory!

Planning

Here is my personal research library for vacation planning. Partly borrowed from local libraries, and partly from amazon used book, I have all the information I need at my fingertips. (And more on the way) Now all I have to do is find time to pick them up and read them. In case you couldn't tell, we're headed to Colorado's front range, and then Yellowstone. That's where we will be camping this summer. I can't think of a better place for our first experience, although it might be hard to top!

Bunnies and Eggs

Well, minus the bunnies. I asked Trev this morning, "What in the world do bunnies and eggs have to do with Easter?" "Nothing," was his answer. I think he already knew, but undoubtedly his mind was recently refreshed by these Resurrection Eggs. The boys received these eggs in Sunday School last sunday. They come with a booklet: As the child opens each egg, there is a scripture and short explanation to read. We've done these at least once a day since sunday.


Inside each egg is a small item, which is a symbol of some part of the Easter story.

So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. John 19:16b-18

A Tenting We Will Go

Among other things, I've been busy recently planning our family vacation for this summer. As you can see, it involves a tent. Okay, you can pick your jaws back up off the floor. Yes- we're going camping (or tenting, as I've heard it said). Behold, our portable palace!

We could barely fit it in the living room for our initial set-up! Needless to say, the boys are very excited, and so are the adults!