The Cookie Pile

Every year that Taylor is in Girl Scouts, we take a picture of the cookie pile. Here is this year's Mountain O' Goodness! Soon we will be scrambling to bag and tag all of the cookie orders. Our goal is to be able to see the front room sofa again in one week's time. Wish us luck. :)

Kristin

Three of a Kind

Taylor gleefully participated in the 3rd grade music program tonight at Linton Elementary school!

Titled "Three of a Kind", the show was billed thusly: a story of threesomes that come together to help solve the case of Missing Baby Bear. Fairy tale triads like the three pigs, the three little kittens (who lost their mittens), three men in a tub and the three billy goats gruff sleuth out exactly where Baby Bear could have gone!

Taylor tried out for several parts in the play, including Billy Goat #1, Goldilocks and Blind Mouse #2. She was incredibly miffed about not being given the chance to try out for one of the three musketeers roles. How to explain that one? I tried to say that it would be somewhat like a boy trying out for the Goldilocks role. Which, fortunately for me, changed the subject to why she didn't get the Goldilocks role. Once again, what to say? I decided to go for the truth, which is this: it's a tough spot to land when you've got a classmate with bright blond to-her-waist hair. Taylor decided to publish a self-made book named Brownielocks, about her own fabulous brown hair, then got over it and cheerfully accepted the role of Blind Mouse #2.

All I can say is that she makes a pretty cute sightless rodent. :)

Pre-show dress rehearsal. Cute!

Taylor practiced for weeks before the show. She memorized her lines, plus the words to all of the 8 songs in the show and practiced her delivery style so the crowd would laugh at her funny lines. Her partners in crime (Blind Mouse #1 and #3) even practiced with her during recess time at school. After weeks of practice, tonight finally came. The Big Night!

Of course it was awesome. Because in spite of the weeks of practice, the things that really make memories still happened. Kids forgot their lines, then proudly delivered them with a little help from Mrs.Conover, their music teacher. Kids talked way too loudly in the microphone. Props were dropped. Kids sang off-key and out of time with the music. One kid even fell off the risers in the back! All those things that parents get misty-eyed over, a little choked up about, clap too loudly and too long over, smile ear-to-ear with pride about, happened. And I got to be one of those parents. One of the ones clapping and smiling and getting a little (okay, a lot) misty-eyed. It was great.

Here's Taylor flawlessly executing the role of Blind Mouse #2!

Taylor was pretty excited about how her role as Blind Mouse #2 turned out. In her words: "I didn't get the exciting part, or the pretty girl part. I got the smart part!" Which really means that, in the end, it's the sightless rodent trio that solved the mystery of Missing Baby Bear. To her, that was quite all right. :)

After the show, all the kids returned to their home rooms at the school to change out of their costumes and get hugs and congratulations from their teacher. John managed to capture a picture of The Three Blind Mice.

Goofy girls after the show!

After thanking her teachers and talking to classmates, Taylor was ready to go home for the night. On the walk home, we congratulated other kids we met, telling everyone how good the show was and what a great job they did. I heard Taylor talking to one kid about how things went, and she summed it all up pretty well. She said, "Yeah, that sure was a lot of work! But still, we don't get to have fun like that every day!"

Kristin

For You

this is my wish for you:

comfort on difficult days

smiles when sadness intrudes

rainbows to follow the clouds

laughter to kiss your lips

sunsets to warm your heart

hugs when your spirits sag

beauty to enrich your life

friendships to brighten your being

faith to make certain what you hope for

confidence when you doubt

courage to know yourself

patience to accept the truth

and

love to complete your life.

It's a Nice Day...........If You're In the Car!

Actually, I wouldn't know. I've not been outside today, as I'm feeling rather hermitish. But John knows. He's the one that took these pictures, regular style and through his sunglasses. Looks mighty fine out there!

Bare eyeballs style. Nice!

Through his sunglasses. Funky!

Back to the grind tonight. My hermitish ways will cease at sundown.

Kristin

Getting Ready for Happy Heart Day

Anyone who knows Taylor knows she is in love with Valentine's Day. I can't say I understand this completely, but when I think about it from the perspective of an 8 (+ 1/2!) year old girl, I think I get it. I think.

First, there's the color scheme. Pink AND red? Together? Two of her top ten favorite colors? Actually, #1 and #2! Right on! With hearts and glitter and sappy, *cough*, er, romantic sayings plastered everywhere? What's not to like? Pretty nice if you're 8 (+ 1/2!). And a girl.

Then, add in the chocolate factor. Unlike Halloween, when she is asked to dress up in a goofy, sometimes bulky, sweat-producing, itchy costume, plus brave freezing temperatures and WORK to get someone to give her chocolate, Valentine's Day is totally easy-schmeasy by comparison. People throw the stuff at her all day long. Pretty cool, when you're 8 (+ 1/2!). When you stop to remember that chocolate is her favorite food ever, well, Valentine's Day suddenly skyrockets past several other holidays, like Thanksgiving and New Year's. Makes sense to me.

But the real clincher (as if red, pink and chocolate weren't enough) for her seems to be the Valentine's themselves. Surprising, I know, but there it is. Taylor plans out her valentines like other kids plan out the eating of their trick-or-treat stash. What color ink for which person, individualized pictures drawn for each kid (tricky, considering there's 24 kids in her class), what version of her signature she likes the best. No kidding. She really gets into it.

This year we've already got it all done. Valentines bought, signed and sealed. Mini gifts purchased for said valentines, an outfit picked out (complete with matching hair band, heart locket necklace and socks) and a Puffle buddy to add to the festivities.

Thanks to Granny Lou, Taylor already has her
outfit for this Valentine's Day.

Oh, and did I mention matching pupils? :)
Someday I'll have to learn how to use the red-eye reduction thingy...

Meet Rose, Taylor's new Puffle buddy.
Apparently, if you are in the 3rd grade, your life isn't
complete without a Puffle.
I have no clue why.

Yup. 21 days to go. Taylor is marking days off her calendar with X's. Every morning she exclaims that Valentine's Day is one day closer. Ah, to be 8 (+ 1/2!) again, when being in love with love was the biggest thing on the agenda.

Of course there will be a Valentine's Day post. You bet your sweet bippee there will!

Kristin

A Little Wiggle Room

Taylor's loose tooth #8 became much looser (more loose?) yesterday with the help of Mr. Kenny, her Tae Kwon Do instructor. During class Mr. Kenny had kids pair up and practice kicking form, with one kid kicking and one kid holding a front shield pad. While Taylor was doing the holding, her partner connected with a solid kick and her hand came back and hit her own mouth. What could have become a crisis turned into sheer glee, as she checked her mouth with her tongue and found that her loose tooth had become, well looser (more loose?). What a girl won't do to make a buck (or five!) before nightfall!

After working on it for the better part of today, it's out. AHHHHHH. Finally those huge front Chiclet teeth that have been working so hard on making an appearance finally have a little wiggle room to call their very own. :)

Kristin

Starbucks Silliness

Taylor and I stopped by Starbucks on the way home from Tae Kwon Do tonight. I'm not usually a Starbucks fan, as I far prefer tea to coffee and would much rather make my own chai tea at home. And have you noticed how most things there are silly expensive?

Every once in a while, though, Taylor asks to go, so we do.

Here's how things went down, MasterCard commercial style.

Chai latte: $2.75

Chocolate cupcake (with 3 inches of frosting) and milk: $3.75

Chair dancing to jazz music in Starbucks chairs: PRICELESS!

I don't know who started goofing off first, but when the piano jazz music started playing overhead Taylor and I both got happy. Think 'theme from the Peanuts, only better'. Happiness led to goofiness, then goofiness led to an all out laugh-until-your-eyes-water chair dancing fest. If I wasn't so supremely ignorant of jazz composers and musicians, I'd even tell you what we were dancing to, so you could have a chair dancing fest of your own. But alas, it shall forever remain a mystery.

Instead, I think I'll post the recipe for the cupcakes. Sounds like a good idea with Valentine's Day just around the corner.

Ultra Moist Starbucks Chocolate Cupcakes

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You'll love this super moist, rich chocolate cake (or cupcakes) made with Starbucks coffee. The coffee enhances the fudge flavor of this dessert, but does not leave you with a coffee taste.

2 round cake pans or 24 cupcakes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 ounces Starbucks black coffee, cooled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, canola oil, vanilla and black coffee (cooled) together.

3. Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder, then add to egg mixture.
   

4. Alternate stirring in flour and milk.

5. Don't worry if batter seems runny to you. This is normal and makes the cake so moist!

6. Pour batter into two greased 9-inch round cake pans.

7. If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
   

8. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full.

9. Bake the 2 cake pans for 25 minutes or cupcakes for 20-23 minutes. (Toothpick will come out clean when cake is done.).

10. After cake has cooled, remove and frost with your favorite icing. Remember, at least 3 inches tall on those cupcakes!
    

I don't have any pics of Taylor and I in our goofy glory. Not a one of that decadent cupcake she ate. Just some great memories of one of those times when fun happened out of nowhere. Priceless.

Kristin

A Date

John has a date today.

No, not with me.

Hey, it's okay. I've known about it for a while now. The shock is over and I'm trying to get used to the idea that he'll be seeing her for a good year, maybe more.

It was bound to happen. We've known for some time that things were headed this way. We've seen several specialists and mutually agree it's the best thing. For now.

The only thing that bothers me is that all of his extra cash is now going to her. And a lot of cash that's not so extra. But what could I expect? This woman is smart, very smart. Not to mention talented. And funny. To top it all off, she's nice. And available every Wednesday. I can't compete against that!

But like I said, she comes with a pretty steep price. Today's date? $1200. Yup. You're reading that right. And they're not even leaving town. Crazy, you say?

Well, yes it is.

But endodontists don't come cheap!

We'd hoped that his endodontist was joking with us,
but apparently her door knobs are just fine! ;)

;) Kristin

Snuggie Girl and Kong Dog

Taylor recently bought a Snuggie For Kids, after saving her allowance for several weeks. I was impressed with the diligence she showed. She investigated which stores carried the item of her heart, then decided to forgo spending her allowance on anything, even stuff in the dollar bins at Target (gasp!), for 3 whole weeks. I had no idea that a Pepto Bismol Pink piece of felt would inspire such enthusiasm and determination! In fact, up until the day she asked to go out to buy it, I had no idea the Snuggie was what she was saving up for at all. Apparently, it was something she had been lusting after (secretly) for quite some time. Thanks infomercials!

When the glorious day of purchase arrived, she bought it, brought it out to the truck and immediately put it on. We weren't done shopping yet, so I was graced with the presence of Snuggie Girl, Superhero for the rest of our shopping adventures. If you haven't had the pleasure of witnessing such a spectacle, just try to imagine Pepto Bismol pink on an 8-year old girl from head to toe. This girl is in Super Target, in the bathroom aisle, brandishing plungers as her weapon of choice. This girl is saying (loudly) things like, "Get back here, you miserable slime!" and "Hand over the secret weapon and no one gets hurt!". This girl looks something like this:

Ow! My eyes!
I think Snuggie Girl's superpower is the blinding Snuggie rays she emits!

Ah, yes. The afternoon was filled with one adventure after another as we made our way through Super Target, Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond and our corner gas station. Little did I know that the fun was just beginning. At home, Snuggie Girl took on a whole new battle. Namely:

Snuggie Girl vs. Kong Dog!

Snuggie Girl attempts to negotiate with Kong Dog for the
safe disposal of a rogue batch of Kong Kryptonite.
Negotiations are beginning to break down!

It should be noted that Sally is a most willing participant in wrestling and a good bout of tug-o-war, especially with her favorite toy. It should also be noted that this mother of pink superhero girl asked several times to make the eye holes of Supergirl's mask larger. All attempts at saving the corneas of my daughter were soundly rebuffed.

"Give me the secret weapon, Kong Dog, and no one gets hurt!"

"You may be strong, Kong Dog, but I shall defeat you!"

Snuggie Girl: *stealth attack*
Kong Dog: YAWN!

"I will brave the jaws of death if it means the world is saved!"

"All this superhero business is making me HUNGRY. How's about a snack?"

After hours of Snuggie Girl play, one tired 8-year old girl wore her Snuggie to bed, Kong Dog at her side, snuggling her to sleep. After all, what's a little Kong Kryptonite between friends? And do not worry, never fear! Snuggie Girl is alive and well! There were sightings of her on New Year's Day:

I know. I know. The mask. *sigh*
I was hoping the hat would serve as distraction...

After several more epic battles, Snuggie Girl and Kong Dog decided they made far better friends than enemies. What's next, you ask? Well, did you know that they make Snuggies for Dogs?!?

Kristin