Dec 11
Everyone,
It seems like it has been raining non stop today. But we were adventurous (after a very lazy morning) and were able to go out to the resource center to play with Chef and Al. They were both into the cars first thing, and then Butterfly moved on to the barn and all the animals. There were only 3 other kids there (not counting the boys) so she had the entire play area to herself. She used it too! 
The boys were able to get down on the carpet and play a little bit even. We all had a really nice time. Chef even gave me some of her candy that she made yesterday. Oh. So. Yummy. I did not share. If you’d like to see what she did, go here.
Butterfly, ever the enthusiastic learner, basically ordered Al around during circle time and was enraptured by the book on spiders. She told me all the way home about them. “Mama, did you know that spiders have eight legs and two body part, not three like bugs. Spiders are not bugs. They are a very big word.”
“Arachnids?”
“Yes, a very big A word. I can draw A! Spider starts with A!”
She learns so much so fast. Pretty soon she is going to be telling me about all sorts of things and I will be happy for my college degree to keep up with her. Smarty pants.
She had a late nap and a rushed dinner so we could make it to the church for activities tonight. Juice is still working with the 12-13 year old boys in scouting (they did concealed weapons, I mean, pocket knife certification tonight) and I am working with the 8-11 year old girls. We made no bake cookies tonight and frosted sugar cookies. Yum and yum! They each got to take a plate home to share with their family and we gave a plate to each member of the bishopbric. There was lots of giggling, lots of sneaky cookie tasting and then lots of running after. I had Pirate, Juice had Professor. Butterfly and another little girl in the ward (5 years old) totally hit it off and played so nicely in the classroom next door to the kitchen so I could keep an eye on them as well. It was a good night. If a little bit sticky night.
Recipe for the No Bake Cookies:
Saving Cookies (no idea why they call it that, it’s just the title)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
4 cups corn flake cereal
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
Combine sugar and karo syrup in a pot over low heat. Stir and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Fold in (quickly) the cereal, peanut butter, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Drop in teaspoons onto wax paper. Cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!
The girls used their (clean) hands to make the cookies. I also made a batch with peanut butter and without and they worked out just fine. I also ran out of karo syrup for the peanut butter batch so it’s a bit rich. But very forgiving. They girls had a great time and we got to talk about filling the measuring cups to the brim and working as a team.
Juice just walked in and looks exhausted. I feel the way he looks. Bed time!
Safire
SafireChef, church, recipes, resource center
Nov 13
Everyone,
What a busy day we had today. Our original plans were to go to a battlefield near here with my friend Chef and her youngest, AlmondJoy who is a week younger than Butterfly. BUT, it poured all day today. So we figured walking around a battlefield in the wet and the muck was no fun. Off to the thrift store instead!
I love going to the thrift store with Chef. She finds a bunch and I always come away with bargins. This time, I did a lot of impulse picking up but was brutal when I went to the check out stand and didn’t get half of what I had put in the cart. Mostly because I got Butterfly an electronic pad plus with math, reading and writing for K-1st grade. Yes, it’s a little old for her. But I figured she can grow into it. I thought I’d put it away for her birthday. I just looked it up on amazon and it is selling for over 100 dollars. I got it for 15. It works and has all the parts too! Awesome deal.
I also got some big legos to put in the boys’ stockings (not that they will play with them right now but to help Butterfly understand that there will be toys that we all share), some 3 ring binders for church, a Christmas carol picture book, a Christmas present for Vinny, some side walk chalk (because AlmondJoy got some), and a freezer popsicle maker. All in all, 25 dollars. Did I mention I love going to the thrift store with Chef?
One thing I did put back that I almost wish I didn’t was a nice brown scarf. It was very soft and I have lost my super soft black scarf. But I put it back because it was brown and I really want a black one. We will have to go again and I can keep looking.
We had lunch in the car and then it was time to go home. But the boys were sleeping so nice in the car that I was loath to take them out and wake them up. It’s becoming hit or miss if they will stay asleep in their car seats. More often missing than hitting. So I sat and talked to Chef while we watched the kids play in the huge pile of leaves. And then I drove home intending on ordering chinese food for tonight from the car and going to pick it up. Also the bank was on the list. Both boys woke up on the way so I figured we would just go home.
Home was playing and preparing for my church activity tonight (thanks Mom!). I am in charge of the 8-9 year old girls. They come twice a month in the evening to the church and we have activities for them. Today we were combined with the 10-11 year old girls and their mothers. I had a mother against daughter game, where the mothers were asked things the girls should know and the girls were asked things the mothers should know. So I asked the girls cooking questions, car questions, laundry questions (very basic stuff). And I asked the moms about texting, music, and books. I also had challenges for them. The mom and their daughter raced against each other to see who could change a diaper the fastest (not on my boys, twin dolls), set an alarm clock, jump rope 25 times, sort socks, and do a spelling bee (which we never got to). We also had desert. Yum! They seemed to have a lof of fun. I know I did.
I did have to bring the kids along which was a little bit of a pain. Butterfly sat in the corner with all the other kids that moms had to bring and watched a movie. The boys were passed around between the moms and the girls. Poor boys. I had to wake them up from bed to take them and they were unhappy. Professor especially. They survived. They both screamed the whole way home but they survived. They dropped right off at home and so has Butterfly. She didn’t get a nap today but was very helpful and sweet all day. Yay.
Of course, after getting everyone in bed, my work did not stop. There were phone calls to return, dishes to do and milk jugs to put out for our milk man tomorrow. I also should pick up the living room, clean off the table and put some laundry away but I think I may just go to bed. It’s hard not having someone else around to help me out with these things!
Missing Juice a lot today. I’m trying to stay busy though so that his time away will just fly by. And maybe tomorrow night I will be able to get the chinese food that I’ve been trying to get for days and I’ll be able to sit down and watch a movie. We shall see.
Safire
SafireChef, church, thift store
The boys were able to get down on the carpet and play a little bit even. We all had a really nice time. Chef even gave me some of her candy that she made yesterday. Oh. So. Yummy. I did not share. If you’d like to see what she did, go here.