Our Little Graduate

Well, Kendal is a graduate!! I know it is "just" preschool, but it is a great big step for one five-year-old boy. Next year he will ride the big yellow school bus. He will be in a new school. He will have a new teacher. He will meet new people, and see new things. Next year will be a year of change and discovery. Next year will be a grand adventure.

This past school year hasn't been all that boring either! He has learned colors, shapes, letters, penmanship, science, art, a little math, scissor skills, gluing skills, and made really good friends. His teachers say he is a "goer" and has a big personality. I'm sure that means he is brilliant!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, we have recorded Kendal reciting the poem that he was assigned to recite at his graduation. All the children had one. Kendal's was entitled, "Wee Willie Winkie" and it goes a little something like this:

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION, KENDAL!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!

Talk About "Kneading" Help

You would think growing up on a farm and having both a mother and grandmother close-by, each able to bake light, gorgeous, delicious bread and perfectly spaced and shaped dinner rolls, that somewhere along the way, I would have acquired the ability to do the same. Nope. Somewhere along the way, I was not blessed with this ability. So I asked for recipes hoping that if I were to just obey them verbatim, I would somehow be victorious. Nope again. Batch after batch, I just couldn't get it right. It was too hard, too dense, too dry, too ... whatever. I felt like a hopeless case, unable to carry on the tradition of beautiful homemade baked goods for my family.

Then it occurred to me. I am NOT a quitter. I decided it was just going to take determination, and practice. Tenacity and grit. Milk, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, and lots and lots of real butter. I was going to get it right, not matter what. I had a dream- and that dream was to make those rolls as light, fluffy and perfectly golden brown as I had ever seen. It was a lofty goal, but I believed it could be done!!

After calling Mom and Jan SEVERAL times, I was blessed with this batch. And you know what? They taste good, too. I still have lots to learn, techniques to perfect, mountains to climb, but for now, I will settle for this 24-roll triumph!!

I would like to thank all those who stood by me in the making of this batch of perfect dinner rolls. For Mom, who never stopped believing. For Jan, who never grew tired of my rants, and if she did, she never showed it. And for my loving husband and family who were willing to eat whatever I put before them and never complained... OK, only complained a little. Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Thank you, and good night!

"Eggs"traordinary Bravery

Kendal noticed something in the corner of his little clubhouse connected to the swing set this morning. He said it was a bird's nest. Well, curiosity got the best of us and when we went to investigate. Sure enough-a robin's nest-complete with two beautiful blue eggs.

What in the world was this mommy robin thinking? This is a place of rambunctious and frequent traffic. Our neighborhood is filled with little children who regularly enter our house and back yard. Often have ocurred the fruit snacks and cheese and cracker picnics right where she decided to create and hatch her little brood. Hopefully, it was somewhere she felt the love and happiness of children playing, or maybe it was the strawberry patch just below her. (I would build my nest there, too. It was really gutsy, though, to build there. I love strawberries as much as the next robin, but wow, that is brave.) All I know is that all children, foriegn and domestic, will not be playing there until those little ones are hatched and flying, but it will be a beautiful thing for our children (from afar- with binoculars-from our back deck door)to watch one of God's creatures create and nurture her young ones.

And being a new mom again myself, I bid her the greatest of luck with multiple babies. There are wise and glorious reasons why our children come to our home one-at-a-time. Applause and awe to those of you who have survived multiples (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU, MOLLY)!! You are "eggs"traordinary in my book!!

Happy Mother's Day To All!!!

I just had to post this!! It is a perfect tribute to all you moms out there!! Thanks for all you do (whether it seems to get noticed or not)!! Take comfort that you are not alone and that they will eventually grow out of it!! You are building the future!! Believe in what you are doing!! Happy Mother's Day!!

You deserve to hear these two minutes!! So pause the music box and enjoy this clip!!

Look-Alike Meters

So...after much debate and strong opinions shared, we found this website that digitally calculates who an offspring looks most like. Here are the results.

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Black and white photographs - Free genealogy

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Geneology - Family tree layout

Drew Baby!!

Kendal found the camera and was snapping shots of, well, everything!! We got shots of the carpet, the TV, and even a couple of half a mommy. BUT, our son shows real potential when he can get a better piture of his baby brother, Drew, than both his father or I can. Here is his talent shot!!

Hey, Avery, You Got A Little Somethin' Right, Right...

Well, I have NO IDEA where she got the love for CHOCOLATE!!!She must have caught a chocolate bug from Grandma or Daddy or maybe somebody from church. We made dinner for a cousin of Cameron's and we decided brownies would really hit the spot.(I have the best recipe ever! I will post it.) Anyway, is anyone wondering who got the paddle from the mixer?

Trina's Brownies

1 c. cocoa
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix first three items together. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, then flour. Pour in greased 9x13 pan. Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. canned milk
2 squares dark baking chocolate
2 c. powdered sugar

Melt baking choclate in microwave (I did about 1 1/2 minutes), until smooth. Add other ingredients and mix until well blended. Spread over cooled brownies.

OH SO YUMMY!!!!!