Quiet day at our house

The kids and I are enjoying a quiet day at home. I'm planning to do some work on ye ol' dissertation, and Big Girl has some serious coloring plans, as usual. Two was busy stealing her crayons and looking for trouble before I sent him to his room for a nap. It's gray outside, so maybe we'll get rain. Big Girl's herb garden could use it. So far she has harvested two jalapeno peppers and three cherry tomatoes. The cilantro is dying - it started blooming before I noticed and nipped that in the bud, and so now it's dying off. I may try to replace it if there's any more left in the stores. This happened last year as well, but I wasn't able to find any plants this late in the season.

I have the cutest little leotards and pink ballet tights hanging on the drying rack in the kitchen. Big Girl starts dance camp - and another swim camp - next week. I'll have to figure out some way to make sure she gets there on Thursday, since I'll be having my surgery that day. Her little pink leather ballet shoes are adorable, and I'm making her some cute bows to wear in her hair (with her bun!) using some bears wearing tutus. I'll post pictures when I finish them. I need to post a picture of the bow I made her for the 4th of July as well - I was very pleased with how it turned out!

Yesterday the kids and I got a birthday gift for my mom, plus an early anniversary gift for Hubs. We found a local couple who sell on etsy - she sews things, and he makes bird houses and bird feeders. I got a ladybug house for my mom, and a bat house for Hubs, plus a bird feeder for Big Girl to paint for our backyard. Everything seems really sturdy and well-made - I was impressed with the workmanship. The man had several bird feeders that he had already painted, in the colors of various college sports teams, plus a cute John Deere one that Two would have wanted had he seen it. I need to read up on ladybug houses before deciding if we'll paint it, too. I'll be back later to share that information, plus some info on bat houses, with you, dear readers.

Flowers!

Big Girl and I had a delightful time planting flowers in the front yard this morning while Two ran around with balloons and drove his John Deere Farm Tractor & Trailer in the driveway. I'll take photos tomorrow. We planted a lot of impatiens (pink and white) in cute little pots decorated with animal and flower stickers, and then in the ground, in front of Big Girl's herb garden, some daylilies, a lily, a lantana, and lots of petunias. All in yellow, plus some additional petunias in white and purple. Big Girl has a hard time with wanting to help and not being as gentle as she needs to be with the plants, but she's very enthusiastic and loves to feel like she's helping. I try to ask her to do things that help me, that she can manage, that don't result in broken plants and/or pots. She's also a champ with her watering can. She has her own, smaller and easier for her to handle.

We all got hot and dirty, then cleaned up before lunch, and after Two's nap we went to my grandmother's house for homemade ice cream (delicious!) to celebrate her birthday. Big Girl and Two each selected a balloon at the store, and Big Girl also made a picture to hang on her great-grandmother's fridge. Two also got to see tractors, always a highlight of his trip, and he watched my dad baling hay into large round bales. We visited the barn so both kids could pretend to drive the tractors that weren't in use today, and the kids played with their cousin, a cute little blond-curled cherub who's a few months younger than Two, who also stopped by with birthday wishes to get a sample of the ice cream. Aside from a brief dispute over toy possession, they had a lovely time playing together.

The kids were worn out and collapsed soon after dinner. Two was glad to go to bed and gave me an enthusiastic "Night, night, Mommy!" when I put him to bed. Big Girl insisted she didn't want to go to bed, but quickly fell asleep on the floor in front of the television. I left her there until Hubs got home, so he could see her (and take pictures of her). I've heard stories of him doing the same thing when he was little. What a wonderful day!

And another thing: the flower party

I'm getting really excited about the flower party idea. I'm trying to decide what kind of plants to get for the favors. I think I want something that blooms, preferably throughout the summer, and something that can take a big of abuse. Since the little girls may forget to water it. Ah, decisions, decisions. I have so many good ideas for activities and food - and I can use this fabulous cake pan that I already have from Big Girl's first birthday. I actually have two kinds of pans - one is a Bundt style pan that makes a big rose, and the other makes tiny rose cupcakes. I could make both, and ice the big rose and then let them ice and decorate the small ones themselves. I'd do that before I let them play in the dirt, I think. I think I'll have to keep the guest list modest, so I can do lots of fun projects with the girls and not go bankrupt. ;)

I need to come up with a fun idea for the party...

Big girl's birthday is about six weeks away, and I need to come up with a fun idea. At present, I'm leaning toward a Teddy Bear Picnic, in which her friends from preschool bring their favorite stuffed animals to the party. But I have also tossed around ideas about a farm-themed party, a puppy dog party, a princess party, and a flower party. The flower party is actually her idea, and I like it, but I'm not sure how far I can actually take that idea beyond the decor and invitations. I also have to determine if I will get my house in order and have said party here, or if I will have it elsewhere. I'm so indecisive about this. Ideas? Anyone? Bueller?

Caramel Icing

from a cookbook published by the women's group at a local church:

2 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla

Melt and brown 3/4 cup sugar in small iron skillet over medium-high heat. Simultaneously bring 2 cups sugar and evaporated milk to a boil. Pour melted sugar into milk and sugar mixture. Cook to soft ball stage (use a candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Beat to spreading consistency. Ices 8- or 9-inch cake or 48 small cake squares.

Notes from my latest venture: This recipe works best (as do most caramel icing recipes) if you make it when the weather is good - high pressure systems yield better results. If you're forced to make this when there are thunderstorms beating down on your roof, as I was, be prepared to add some powdered sugar while beating the mixture in order to thicken it up. Also, don't try to heat things up too quickly by turning the stove up to high. Take your time, so it won't splatter your hand and burn it. Results are sinfully delicious.

Sinfully delicious

Tonight I made the cake for Two's belated birthday party, to be held tomorrow. The men in my family often request caramel cakes (yellow cake, caramel icing) for their birthdays, and although Two did not articulate such a preference, that's what he's getting too. I'm rather pleased with the results. I'll post the icing recipe tomorrow. The cake's nothing fabulous - made it from a mix - but the caramel icing is from scratch. I seriously slaved over a hot stovetop making it. And tomorrow, if I'm lucky, Two will smear it all over his face with delight and glee.

Sleepy, rainy day

I could easily sleep all afternoon. Both Big Girl and Two are taking naps, and it sounds so delightful right now. I'm trying to be good and do prep work for tomorrow's class.

I would love some homemade bread and a big bowl of hot soup right now, but I lack the motivation to make either of those things.

We had a small celebration last night for Two, but the real party will wait until we can get more extended family together next week. I'll make a cake and we'll celebrate then. Last night my mom and Big Girl made brownies with icing for him and he eagerly dipped his fingers in for several swipes of icing before we even started cutting pieces. He was so excited about being the center of attention, and he beamed while we sang for him. Such as sweet boy! My parents are getting a joint gift for him and Big Girl, whose birthday is next month - a big play structure with slide, swings, etc. for the back yard. They will go crazy over it. Hopefully we'll get it set up in the next few days. Right now it's cool and raining, with the threat of severe storms, so we're staying inside.

YAWN!

I took some cough syrup last night, just so I could sleep for a few hours. I'm sick, again. Anyway, today I have medicine hangover - part of the reason why I stopped taking Zyrtec a few weeks back as well, because I wake up groggy and woozy and unmotivated to do anything except sleep some more. I've got that same heavy sensation in my body today, the same feeling of weight as if my bed's gravitational field is slowly towing me back in. Since the kids are napping, I may do it too, although I know I could do other things.

I've been asked to serve on the board for the regional library. I'm not positive that I'll be appointed, but I said I would love to do it. The library here in our town is in dire need of some TLC on multiple levels: state of the building, state of collections, level of awareness, quality of technology and access. And I think I could help a great deal, so I hope it will work out.

I referred myself to a specialist to get more input on my chronic illnesses. I've had far too many sinus infections, allergy flare-ups, colds, tonsil issues, and other issues lately, so I'll be seeing an ENT tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully he can do something to get me some relief. I'm tired of coughing and sneezing and feeling like crap all the time. Hopefully if I can breathe more easily, I'll feel more like exercising a bit.

My birthday is approaching, but I'm not expecting anything much this year. I already received a couple of nice sweaters from my aunts and uncles, and I think I'm still "ahead" with my parents, who got us some new appliances when we moved as "early" Christmas and birthday gifts. Maybe Hubs will get me a present that's truly intended for me, and not something he wants for himself. Oh, and I did order a few new attractive tops from the clearance section of the Talbots website, so I can look a little more presentable when I teach. Maybe I can persuade Hubs to sponsor an expansion to my shoe collection.

My mom should return to town today, after spending some time with her family after my grandfather's death. I'm eager to talk to her and spend some time with her. I want to ask her a lot of questions about her childhood and try to imprint them in my memory, since I feel like so much was lost in terms of family history and storytelling when my grandfather died. I need to do more to record family stories and other information that I feel I need to remember, and that I want the kids to know when they're older. I've been tossing around ideas in my mind about ways to do that - scrapbooks, typing up stories, maybe a CD or something. Not sure yet but I have a lot of ideas.