St. Patty's Day Rainbows

I receive Parenting and Family Fun magazines each month. They're both full of helpful, interesting and fun articles, crafts and recipes. The March issue of one of these magazines (can't remember which one specifically) focused on fun St. Patty's Day crafts and goodies. The recipe that caught my eye was rainbow cupcakes.

I tore out the page and put it aside until St. Patty's Day. I kept the article for the food dye measurements. I just used boxed vanilla cake mix, but needed the color chart to get the colors right.

I divided the cake mix into 6 small bowls, dropped the precise amount of food coloring into each bowl to get my Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple (I know, I know, there's no 'indigo' in there, but you get the point)

I put cupcake papers into my cupcake pan and then got out 6 zip top bags and filled each one with one of the colored cake mix batters. I began pipping one color into all the cupcake papers, then another, and another, building all the colors in a layer on top of the other.

Finally, I was done filling the cupcake papers. I put them in the oven and waited. I was excited to see the final result. When the timer went off I pulled the cupcakes out of the oven, took the cupcakes out of the pan and placed them on the cooling rack. I waited (a little impatiently) for them to cool so I could cut into one and see if my cupcakes really looked like rainbows.

Well, they weren't exactly 'rainbow's like in the picture from the magazine, they were more 'psychedelic' then 'rainbow', BUT, all 6 colors were definitely there.

It was a lot of fun using food coloring in the cake mix and I can't wait to try it again.

Oh, and the cupcakes were super moist and really yummy. They were actually so moist I didn't even bother frosting them.

Baking Cookies

Tabytha brings home a Fall Fundraiser and Spring Fundraiser each school year. This past fall fundraiser our friend, Harold (affectionately known to our children as 'Uncle Howie') bought 2 kinds of cookie mix.

So, over the weekend Harold came over to help Charlie in the garage on a car project Charlie was trying to finish up for another friend of ours. (doing body work and paint on a '57 Chevy wagon).

After they were both done getting cleaned up, I got the ingredients out needed for the cookie dough mix and Harold and Tabytha got started making cookies together.

Tabytha got to crack the eggs all by herself and put all the ingredients in the bowl. Harold mixed and they both scooped out dough and placed them on greased cookie sheets.

Harold put the cookie sheets in the oven and set the timer. When they were finished he took them out and he and Tabytha each took the freshly baked cookies from their cookie sheets and placed them on a cooling rack.

I took pictures throughout the whole process. The first batch of cookies Tabytha and Harold made were triple chocolate chip.

They were delicious!!!

Since it was still early enough in the evening they decided to make the second batch of cookies Harold ordered through her fundraiser. Hot Cocoa Cookies. Also delicious!

Tabytha had a blast baking cookies with her 'Uncle Howie' and I had fun taking pictures.

Eagerly Awaiting

My kids are typical siblings. One minute they love each other and play so nicely together and the next minute they're at each others throats and fighting.

Tabytha's the oldest. She's in school during the day, so John and Jessi only have each other to play with and my nerves to frazzle. John and Jessi are pretty much inseparable. Where one is getting into mischief the other isn't far behind.

Tabytha's bus picks her up in the morning and drops her off at night right at the end of our driveway each day. (such a blessing!). In the mornings Tabytha and I wait on the front porch for the bus while John and Jessi wait inside at the door (until the weather warms up, then they'll come outside, too). As Tabytha walks to the bus we wave our goodbye's and sign 'I Love You'. As the bus pulls away John and Jessi both hang out of the door waving goodbye to 'sissy' on her bus until it's out of sight.

In the afternoons I wait inside at the door. When the bus is in sight I call out "Here comes Sissy" and wherever John and Jessi are, no matter what they're doing, they come running and shrieking through the house to greet Tabytha. As the bus slows to a stop at the driveway John and Jessi go wild with excitement.

They're so eager to see her and hug her she often has trouble just trying to get in the door. It's really something I think is pretty incredible to witness. They love their big sister so much and can't wait to have her home each day.

To sit here and really think about it brings a tear to my eye. Children love with no limitations. Their love for each other overflows in their shouts and shrieks and little dances of joy are priceless to me.

Another Generation of Great Friendships

My friend, Sarah, was in town this week from NH. She has a 3 yr old, Kaleena, and we made plans to get together to hang out and let our kids play together before she had to get back to NH.

After Tabytha got on her school bus Monday morning I packed up John and Jessi and made the journey over the bridge to visit with Sarah and Kaleena. Jessi discovered the piano and commenced to climbing onto the piano bench and banging the keys. John wanted in on the action so he went over to the piano and proceeded to make 'music', too. Shortly after Kaleena wanted to join the fun and made her way to the piano to bang out some tunes.

No, they weren't playing anything distinguishable, but they were all getting along so well, it was music to my ears. Kaleena found a microphone and pretended to sing. John had a turn next and when they were done 'singing' they played with blocks and knick-knack toys Sarah's mom had for the kids to play with.

Shortly after arriving at Sarah's mom's house another friend of ours came to hang out. Julia showed up around lunchtime and brought pizza for all of us. We sat and got the kids started on their meals and all enjoyed a slice or two ourselves.

Then, today, my friend Jen came over to my house and brought Elaina. Elaina is only 3 weeks older then Jessi and get along pretty well. When Jen got here, Jessi was already down for her nap and John was playing 'shy' hiding in my room. So, Elaina had all the toys in the living room to herself for a bit. I think it worked out better this way. She was able to get used to her new surroundings without being overstimulated with John and Jessi in her face trying to play with her.

About an hour and a half into our visit, Jessi woke up from her nap (mostly because John burst into her room calling for her, "Baby! Baby! Wake Up!!!", lol. Naturally, she woke up. I brought her out and she sat in Jen's lap for a bit to wake up a little more before getting down to play.

The kids were getting along. Playing together and independently. Jessi kept going to Elaina with her arms open to hug her, but Elaina wasn't really sure about it and would walk away. No problem. She wasn't familiar with Jessi and that's alright. Jen worked it out that Jessi was able to give Elaina one hug and I snapped a picture. Not too long before Jen and Elaina left Jessi tried to give Elaina another hug and this time Elaina was willing to accept a hug from her.

That's when it happened. Jessi went in for the hug and whether from the momentum of going in for the hug or Elaina stepping back, the girls fell backward. Jessi on top of Elaina and poor Elaina hit her head on one of John's toy trucks and the floor. I was closest, so I swooped her up and handed her over to Jen so she could comfort her little girl.

I felt sooo bad. She had a big knot on her head where it hit John's toy truck. I got the 'booboo pooh' and wrapped it in a paper towel. Jen applied it to the booboo. I got some baby Tylenol and Jen gave it to her. Jen rocked her and sang to her to calm her down and help her feel better.

Shortly after the big booboo it was time for Jen and Elaina to get going. We had a good visit, minus the head bashing.

I have great friends and love spending time with them whenever I get the chance. Now that we've all got kids growing up together I hope our kids will grow up to be as good of friends as my friends and I are.

Another generation of friendships could be starting now. It's pretty cool!

Through The Years

This weekend was my friend, Kristin's, surprise bridal shower. She and I have been friends for almost 15 years now.

In fact. All of the lovely women you see in this picture I've been friends with since high school. These 5 women have been the best girl friends anyone could ask for.

Over the years we've all grown up. We've gotten jobs, moved, met the men of our dreams, gotten married and started families. Our lives have gone in different directions through the years, but one thing remains.

Our friendship.

No, we don't see each other all the time or even as often as we'd like. That's part of having our own lives and families, but, we're always there for each other. Our bond is strong. Some of us have had our fallings out, but, that bond of friendship we have has always brought us back together.

I have several other wonderful friends outside of this little 'group' and I don't want anyone to feel left out, but these women you see pictured above (left to right ~ Julia, Drea, Kristin, Sarah, me and Holly) are so special and dear to me. I love them like sisters.

I'm truly blessed to have these women in my life as my friends.

For Her Own Good

They say good fences make good neighbors. That may be true, but put a fence (aka: baby gate) in your house to keep a child out of something and you've just made an enemy for life.

Over the past month or so Jessi has been sharpening her climbing skills. Some time ago she learned how to climb the dinning room chairs at my mom's house and get on the table. Shortly after that discovery she tried it here at our house.

Inevitably I'd pluck her off the table or she'd fall trying to get down herself. After several tumbles I decided to put the chairs on top of the table to keep her from climbing and getting hurt.

Well, you can imagine how inconvenient that made things for us when it was meal time. So, I scoured the Internet searching for a gate to fit into the 5 1/2 ft wide entryway between the dinning room and living room. I spent an entire day looking.

I FINALLY found one that looked like it would work. So, I went to several store websites and no one had what I was looking for in stock. I googled the company and found their website. I called the contact number and explained what I was looking for. The woman on the phone told me which style of gate they made would work for what I needed. She also told me which online stores carried their pieces. I ordered the main gate w/door from Walmart.com and the extension piece from Target.com.

Within a few days both gate pieces were delivered and I joyfully installed the gate. I was so tickled with it I took a picture with my cell phone and sent it to my husband to show him.

Jessi and John on the other hand weren't nearly as pleased with it as I was. John and Jessi cried and cried and cried. Within 2 days John figured out how to work the gate latch. I wasn't that concerned about it. The main reason for the gate is to keep Jessi out of the dinning room and kitchen so her inquisitiveness for the world around her doesn't get her hurt anymore.

Everyday since the gate's been installed Jessi has pitched a fit of sort when I've gone into the dinning room and left her in the living room. Can you tell she's crying at the gate in the picture above?

Despite her dislike of the gate, I love it and think it was worth every penny. When she's all grown up and I tell her about the 'evil baby gate' she used to cry at everyday, she'll appreciate the lengths I went to in order to keep her safe from herself. Hopefully.

Makin' It All Better

This morning, shortly before Jessi went down for her nap, John threw a fit. I wouldn't turn on the TV in my room for him so he decided to run into my room and repeatedly open and slam the door. All the while screaming.

Par for the course around here. Whenever John doesn't get his way he throws a fit. Screaming and being destructive. (still attributing much of the tantrums to our lack of communication because his talking is still not that good. He's made a LOT of progress w/ speech therapy, but he's still not talking in many understandable words or sentences yet)

Jessi toddled down the hallway to check out John's tantrum and tried to go in my room while the door was open before being slammed shut. She got her hand in there and John shut the door on her pinkie finger. She began crying from the pain and I ran down the hallway to free her finger.

Now, typically, if John has done something that causes injury to baby, he runs and "hides". Not this time. He was still standing behind the door when I opened it to free baby's finger. The door hit him right in the face. He began crying.

So, now I have 2 injured children. I already had Jessi in my arms when John started crying from his "mommy induced" injury. I called for him to follow me as I brought Jessi into the living room to comfort her in one arm and comfort John in my other arm. I put them both down and went to the kitchen to get John's "Booboo Lightening" and he put it on his lip (which was a little bloody and swollen). I got Jessi's "Booboo Pooh" and she held it in her hand. As soon as they had their "booboo buddies" they stopped crying.

I felt SOOO bad about John's lip. I almost burst into tears myself. I felt like a horrible mother. Who does that?!?! Apparently I do.

After a few minutes pass I collected "Booboo Lightening" and "Booboo Pooh" and put them back in the freezer and life went on. Both John and Jessi are fine and you wouldn't know they were even hurt. I'm sure they've forgotten about it all by now, but it's still lingering in my mind. I keep playing it over and over in my mind.

Maybe that's just part of being a parent.