Humor

Claire's response to Lily's hysterical crying after a nasty fall: "Well Lily, you can either choose to cry or instead see the humor in this situation."

Laundry Helper

Isabel helping to put away the *folded* basket of laundry.

Dinner

Pesto, asparagus and cherry tomato pizza topped with ricotta and feta cheese. It was really good!

Free Stuff

I am amazed at what people will do for free stuff. They will wait in long lines, drive long distances, buy 15 gallons of ice cream, clip the 15 UPCs and mail along with the receipt all to get a "FREE collector bobble-head" sent to their mailbox.

Chris and I thought this FREE event for FREE Brewers tickets was, well, pretty funny and a new low. Men over 50 can get a prostate exam performed by medical staff in the Miller Park parking lot and receive a voucher good for 2 complementary tickets to a Brewers game. If you plan on going, arrive early because according to the news report (which includes a clip of Nurse Ratchet snapping her glove) there is going to be long line. What kind of conversation would you start with the guy standing in line next to you? Nice day here at the ball park?

Really Cold

Claire: "My ice cream is as cold as the north pole."

Lily: "Mine too. My ice cream is as cold as a northern pike!"

Kristen's Blog!

Yey! Here is the long awaited blog.

Trashy Fiction

I finished Sophie Kinsella's newest book today. I picked it up from the library on Friday afternoon. I would have finished it sooner except, you know, the girls actually needed me to do stuff for them this weekend--wash clothes, cook, pay attention to them, etc. I fully realize that novels like Remember Me? are the adult equivalent of The Babysitters Club series, but I really can't help myself. Chick Lit is fun to read.

Sweet Baby James

James hasn't made an appearance on my blog in a while. (It's because his momma NEVER sends pictures!) Can you tell that he inherited Kristen's complexion?

Horseys

Russ took the girls for pony rides on one of his friend's farms while we were visiting. Claire and Lily were both thrilled to meet Dusty--let alone ride on his back and feed him carrots. My husband insisted on getting his picture taken with a different horse at Meijer Gardens--obviously too big to fit all in one picture.

Vacation

After the concert, we loaded the girls into the van and drove to Michigan. Our nephew Benjamin was baptized on April 20th, and we were privileged to be sponsors. It was great to see family and enjoy the spring weather.

Bluegrass Concert

My mom and dad gave Chris tickets to a Cherryholmes concert for his birthday. We went last Friday. It was beyond fantastic! At one point during the show I was hootin' and hollerin'! Never in my most wild imagination did I ever think that I would become a bluegrass enthusiast. I highly recommend the family's latest CD--it's great fiddling and banjo pickin' fun.

It has been a long time since I have been to a concert. I don't understand the encore performance. Why have them? Why not finish with the last song? Why bother exiting the stage only to come back in 2 minutes? It is a strange formality in concert performances.

Toddling

Isabel has been taking a few steps here and there. It is so fun to watch. She is delighted by her efforts.

Sometimes I wish that I had half the work ethic of a toddler. They are SO persistant. If I kept failing each time I tried something new, I'd give up before too long. I marvel that each time she falls, she smiles, picks herself back up to take a step or two, only to fall again.

Gotta get a new tape for the camcorder. #1 and #2 have hours of these pre-walking moments on tape. If only #3 would be so lucky.

Conquered

I would like to officially announce that I have conquered my addiction to Diet Coke. I haven't drank a sip of it in weeks. I really don't know what spurred my idea to can the habit (pun intended).

I don't know if I should be using such a celebratory tone however. I have replaced the Coke with seltzer water. I apparently just crave the bubbles. I guess it is better for me than the artificial sugar, right?

Chipmunk Fur

My girls are currently outside creating a trap to catch Chippy Hackee--the chipmunk of Beatrix Potter fame. Claire apparently wants to skin the poor chipmunk to "make a striped fur stole for one of her dolls".

Just remember: Chippy Hackee bites!

#45632568

Lily broke a record for hair-cutting today. How many households can claim that 45,632,568 self-styles have occurred in their house? Again it's not too bad, just unbelievably frustrating and funny at the same time. Why does my three year old do this? Should I just give her a buzz?

Happy Birthday Isabel

Bedroom Makeover

$30 bucket of paint +
1 afternoon painting with infant in backpack +
$60 quarter sawn oak full headboard and footboard set from St. Vincent dePaul +
$63 full bedframe conversion kit for queen mattress +
1 husband to rip up yucky brown carpet to reveal beautifully aged pine floors =
A beautiful bedroom! I LOVE IT!

Orange Butter Cake

We celebrated Isabel's 1st birthday on Sunday with my parents (even though she isn't technically one until April 2nd). I tried a new cake recipe. It was particularly delicious and I thought I'd share.

Orange Butter Cake

2 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 lb. butter, softened

2 c sugar

4 eggs

2 t vanilla extract

zest of one orange

1 c whole milk

Orange Frosting

1/4 lb. butter

2 c powdered sugar

zest of one orange

juice of one orange

1/2 t vanilla extract

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add vanilla, orange zest and mixture of dry ingredients. Add milk. Pour into 2 prepared 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Beat frosting ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add milk if needed to obtain desired consistency.

Assemble cake layers and garnish with orange slices if desired.

32

Chris turned 32 on March 26th. I cooked corned beef for dinner. We didn't feel right eating the traditional St. Patrick's Day hunk of brisket during Holy Week. I must confess, the corned beef didn't taste as good on March 26th as it usually does on March 17th.