Notes from the edge...: August 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

Happy Birthday Bug!!

As I sit here and type this, it's hard for me to believe that 6 years ago, I was siting in a hospital bed waiting for my labor to progress so I could meet Bug for the first time. Today, Bug turns 6. We celebrated with our families several weeks ago. I always have the party before the start of school since it's less stressful for me and DH is around to help with the kids while I'm cleaning.

I did have one minor "mishap" with the party. The cake completely did not turn out as I planned. Thankfully none of the mishaps with the cake effected the flavor. My mother in law dubbed it the best cake she'd ever eaten. Here's the recipe.

ICE CREAM CAKE

1 7/8 cup Cake Flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 small box of instant pudding mix

3/4 cups milk

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 gallon of ice cream

1 small tub of cool whip

1. Combine first 6 ingredients. Add milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed with a mixer. Add 2 eggs mix for another 1 minute.

2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Pour in the batter and spread it to the edges. The batter will be thicker than boxed cake mix.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F. Or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Cool completely. Invert on a wire rack to remove from pan. Clean out the pan and line with plastic wrap.

5. Split cake into 2 layers, or crumble into pieces like for a trifle. Line the bottom of the pan with cake pieces.

6. Top the cake layer with ice cream, then freeze for 30 min. to allow the ice cream to set. Add another layer of cake then ice cream and return to the freezer until ready to serve.

7. Just before serving, ice/cover with whipped cream. Delicious! Not bad for a complete failure hunh?

So here's what actually went wrong from the plan. First, it was supposed to be a "funfetti" cake with red sprinkles in it. The batter turned it pink. Next, the cake never rose in the center. I have no idea why. I never opened the oven or anything that should cause it to fall. Then, when I inverted the cake, the middle stuck and only the edges. That's why I crumbled it like a Trifle. I had originally planned on cutting it in two and having an ice cream layer between two cake layers like a traditional layer cake.

Here are a few pictures of the Birthday Girl.

All she really wanted was a Silvermist costume from the Tinkerbell Movie.

Awesome Giveaway

Oh my gravy!! I can't contain my excitement. I had a few extra minutes this morning, so I decided to check out a few of my favorite blogs that I haven't checked out for a while. I'm so glad I did. Erin at 5dollar dinners is doing an amazing $250 grocery giveaway to the grocery store of your choice. I am frantically doing everything I can to get all my entries in. I'm amazed that she can do this...course it's through the Canned Food Alliance, but I look at that and that amount is a whole month's worth of groceries for my family. Be sure to check it out since it's over at Noon EST Aug. 29, 2009.

Here's an amusing story that I heard at lunch today. My friend Laura joins us on Fridays and we do a Bible study and share lunch. I asked Laura if I had mentioned that my mom's chickens "The Bettys" are laying now. The Boy responded with "You know, Harrison gives the Bettys their eggs." Oh my...who on earth mentioned that the rooster gives the hens eggs? Thankfully it seems to be that the Boy's understanding is pretty basic. I guess I'm surprised at the knowledge of chicken reproduction my three-year old has.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

First Day of School

It's that time of year again...back to school. I have mixed feelings about "Back to School." This year, I have anticipated sending Bug back to school, and Bear off to school. Mr. Man on the other hand, I do not enjoy sending back to school. Sending him back to school means much whining an gnashing of teeth on the part of Bean. Bear usually joins her, but this year, she went off with him, so it was a non-issue. I was a little concerned at Bear's first adventures in all day schooling.

Last year, she attended a half-day preschool three days a week. It took her 4 to 5 weeks to fully adjust to leaving Mommy for a classroom full of strangers. Yesterday, Bear entered in to Pre-K and did better than expected. I'm sure some of that rests on the fact that she was well acquainted with 3 of her classmates. One of whom was one of the girls I babysat for the last 2 months. She did have a little bit of trouble once she was on the bus. She bravely climbed on the bus with Bug and her best friend Spencer. Once she was situated in her seat she started to have second thoughts about leaving Daddy's school to go to her own across town. She started to wail in the normal dramatic Bear fashion. The worst part was not that Bear was upset and crying, but shortly after Bear started crying Spencer bolted off the bus and for his mom. Bear's tears were too much for him on the first day of Kindergarten. Bear proceeded to cry across thrown and eventually settled down by the time she arrived at her school. She then had a great day until it was time to get on the bus again. This time her uncertainty again lead to tears since the Pre-K kids are put on the buses before the First graders. She was certain she wasn't going to be joined by Bug. When I met the bus with the little kids, though, she was as happy as could be and a lot more agreeable than Bug at the end of the day. Bug on the other hand was very whiny and tired.

Bear all ready with Daddy for the first day.

Bug joins Bear at the door ready to go. She's grumpy because she doesn't want the Boy in the picture too.

Bear and Spencer waiting for the bus to arrive

Bug waiting too.

All in all I'd say we had a pretty good first day of school. No one got lost on the way home or got off the bus crying hysterically...we didn't find out that our baby didn't have a heart beat...or that Mommy was going to go bananas with grief.

In fact quite the opposite. I'm doing quite well other than super persistent case of all day morning sickness and a little guy with awfully big feet. Hence, I would like to introduce you to the fifth "B"...Bigfoot. His estimated date of arrival is April 3. I hope to soon show you why I have dubbed him "Bigfoot", but my scanner is currently down.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Grammy's Garden Update

Several weeks ago we visited Grammy's Farm to take a look at the progress of the big girls' bean plants and to see how the Betty's & Harrison (the chickens) were enjoying the coop that the Boy and Papa made for them.

The kids also got to enjoy the wide open spaces and play on the tractor. We've been enjoying beans from the plants that Bug & Bear planted and they're delicous. Bear is a great helper when it comes to snipping beans. That's actually how she started eating them. We were at Grammy's last summer and until then Bear hadn't eaten green beans. We were helping Grammy snip beans to can and freeze. Bear would break the blossom end off and started nibbling on them. She's enjoyed them ever since.