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Showing posts from January, 2011

Pretty Pudding on a Snowy Day

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It snowed and snowed and snowed today!  It was a gorgeous snow and it made me feel the need to do a little nesting.  I love how snow seems to cause all things to slow down a little bit.  To cancel an appointment so that we don't have to go out, to snuggle with a blanket and read a book, to grab your baby and look out a picture window at the white world outside.   It also made me want to make pudding.  Tapioca pudding to be exact.  Oh, how I love tapioca pudding, and so do my children.  My husband won't touch it with a ten-foot pole, but that is just as well... more for the rest of us!  I put the baby down for her afternoon nap, and whispered to Claire that we should make tapioca pudding.  "Hurry!"  she whispered back, "Let's make it quick so it can be a surprise when Fisher gets home from school!"  My thoughts exactly.  I just love surprising my loves with something warm and sweet waiting for them when they come back to our nest after being away. T

One Year Ago...

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We Had Another Baby... They were given a little sister.... We celebrated the blessing of new life. Today, we are... Savoring new things... Looking sassy in new outfits and new shoes... exploring our world... And learning how to do new  things. Happy Birthday to our Holland Ovedia. You are loved, little one.

Birthday Cakes for my Babies

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Tomorrow my baby will be one year old.  I'm not ready to fully grapple with enormity of that statement, so I am going to blog about something little more non-emotional.  I'm going to talk about baking my babies their birthday cakes.  I made a vow to myself a long time ago that I would never buy my children a birthday cake.  For one thing, they are really expensive.  Really, though, I just wanted to give them something that I put some time and effort and a little creativity into.  Every birthday so far, I have kept my promise.  Some cakes have been cuter than others, and some have been more difficult than others (though none have been very fancy).  But even the ugliest of cakes (see Claire's 3rd birthday) was made with equally grand intentions, and in the end, will probably be most fun to reminisce about in years to come (see Claire's 3rd birthday).  I made Holland's 1st birthday cake today... impossible to believe that a year has flown since she made our family comp

Peaceful Minutes in the Middle of Crazy

Today Holland had to have a very unpleasant medical test.  Let's just say it involved a tube, a hiney and an xray.  This girl hardly tolerates having her bottom wiped, so needless to say this was a most unwelcome event in her morning.  The test only took 5 minutes or so, and I was able to be right by her the whole time, kissing her teary cheeks and singing her favorite songs.  When there were moments I wasn't right next to her, she was frantic until she was back in my arms.  I wonder when this feeling goes away.  Does it ever?  I think that even now at age 32, when things are scariest, there is something inside me that still just wants my mom nearby. Anyway, after the test was over, we had to wait for some "action" before they could take another couple xrays.  So the xray techs wrapped my baby in warm blankets and showed us a quiet room with a rocking chair.  As I rocked her, I felt her relax, put her head on my chest, and fall asleep.  I got to rock my baby for 45

Making Homemade Play-Doh

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Today, we played with Play-Doh. We made snowmen, but found that our play-doh had grown old and crusty... So we Decided to Make more. Cooked Play-Doh Ingredients 3 cups flour 1 1/2 cups salt 3 tbsps cooking oil 6 tsps cream of tartar 3 cups water few drops of food coloring (optional) Cooked Play Doh Recipe Instructions Mix all ingredients together in a large pot. Cooke over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, until al the mixture leaves the sides of the pot and forms a ball. Turn out onto a work surface and knead. This playdough will keep indefinitely if stored in a covered container (or you can use ziplock bags).   This is how it should look when it is cooked. Here's the finished product... we had fun kneading in the different colors. Making play-doh is a quick, easy project to do with toddlers and preschoolers, and it is SOOO much cheaper and better- quality than the stuff you buy in the store.  It lasts forever... well almost forever. When it does g

Settling In For Winter

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It is January.  The excitement of Christmas has been put to rest until next year.  It is COLD and I am starting to dream of green grass and tulips.  These pictures from winters past remind me that this is still a beautiful time of year, and make me realize that life shouldn't be rushed or wished away.  Here's to WINTER 2011- I'm going to try to find some beauty this month... stay tuned. Snowy Stroll on Prairie Avenue Fisher- 18 months   Claire- 21 months

What We've Been Up To...

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Sledding ! Reading The Chronicles of Narnia Eating Key Lime Pie on New Year's Day Playing New Games Exploring New Places My parents are visiting this week. They are staying for over 10 days! It is such a blessing to have young, energetic RETIRED parents! I think that 4 adults to 3 kids is the perfect ratio. Tonight while my mom cleaned my kitchen, I played horsie with the kids and then pretended to make them into pizzas. Very silly play, but oh how they love silliness. It was all fun and games until Fisher ran into a door knob and put a dent in his head.... :(