:: Poppet ::

I have arrived...

Would you believe that I have finally mastered a cookie recipe??? It's true I tell ya! Shortbread cookies are my apparently my calling. Over the last few days my kids have devoured several dozen of them and I just finished three dozen more today. I've made Danish Wedding Cookies (shortbread with ground nuts rolled into the dough, rolled into balls and baked, and dusted with powdered sugar); I've made
thumbprints filled with both raspberry jam and chocolate chips; I've made black and white pinwheels and checkerboards. They are yummy!

Creating...

I'm not sure who the lucky one is that will be gifted with these wonderful fingerpaintings but I envy them just a lil' bit...

Brothers...

Be still my heart...

I am gosh darned tickled that my super cool kid is playing the trumpet! So darn tickled, in fact, that I may or may not have run laps around the gymnasium wailing "My BABY'S playin' the trumpet!" while alternating between sobs of sheer joy and howling cackles of laughter. 'Cause I'm cool like that. That's how I roll.

And also, a few people tried the cupcakes. Woo hoo!

Holiday baking in progress...

I spent the better part of my morning in the kitchen preparing goodies to serve at Dylan's first recital, which is this afternoon. He is excited! I am excited! I've got the camera ready to go and extra batteries in my purse. One of the other moms thought it would be fun to serve refreshments afterwards. Unfortunately my van was in the shop this morning which meant I could not run down to the bakery and pick something up.

Baking, for those who don't know, is not my strong suit. Many a good dessert has been ruined on account of my mediocre baking skills. I'm not sure where I go wrong. I measure precisely. I use quality ingredients. I dare not deviate from the recipe. I use only quality bakeware. None of this seems to matter. I made some Danish Wedding Cookies, from scratch no less, and they turned out surprisingly good. They seem to burn so easily with all the butter in them. Too bad I forgot to take a photo. When one bakes as well as I do it's wise to document one's successes, lest everyone forget about them the next time you ruin a cake or pie. And trust me, there will be a next time.

The lemon-poppyseed cupcakes were my back-up. They are from a boxed mix and it's pretty hard to screw that up. Not impossible, mind you, just very hard. Lady luck was on my side today and I turned out two, count 'em TWO, pretty tasty desserts!

Punk ass kids...

This started out as me trying to get a picture of Josef's grubby face after the boys came in from a bug hunting excersion (covered in dirt, no less). Josef was less than cooperative, sulking around the kitchen like I had just asked him to share the last bite of a chocolate bar, so I did what any intelligent, resourceful mother would do: I offered him a buck to smile for the camera! Uh...this is what my hard-earned dollar bought me:



For some strange reason little Daniel was eager to have his photo taken as well. In other news, pigs did in fact fly today! So here he is, in all his goofy glory.