As we drove along in the car today; Will & I chatting in the front and Sister playing with her horses in the back, Brother sat in his car seat deep in thought. Then, at a pause in the conversation, Brother broke from his reverie to issue an indignant exclamation.

“HEY! Wait a minute!  Pickles don’t talk!”

        -No, pickles don’t talk.

“And… and… tomatoes don’t talk either!”

Oh, the disappointments of childhood, they are great.

Sister and Will have gone to visit Great-Grandma Mary this weekend as she is not feeling so well.  Will had some work to do before they left so Sis and I were in charge of packing.  We put in clothes and toothbrushes, a few small toys and other sundry items.  Then as an afterthought almost, Sister ran to get her piggy bank and began dumping change into her purse.

“I’m going to take a little money….just in case we need it.  ‘Cause money is really popular.”  (She paused then added matter-of-factly.)  “It’s even more popular than horses.”

Indeed.  Maybe, that’s what’s wrong with the world.  Money is more popular than horses.

In pursuit of simplicity in the kitchen I’ve started making breakfast casseroles twice a week.  Here’s the one we tried this morning.  Will and I loved it but the children only ate the apples & craisins.  “Because I didn’t really care for the eggy-bread part,” said Sister.  …. Yes, that’s really what she said.  Such the diplomat.

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 apples - cored and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup craisins
• about 3/4 loaf of a French baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Lightly grease a 8 X 11.5 inch (or 2 quart) baking dish. (The original recipe called for a 9×13 inch pan which is much more common but the original recipe also called for another apple and the rest of the baguette neither of which I had.)  In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar and the first tsp of cinnamon.  Mix in melted butter.  Stir in apples and craisins until evenly coated.  Pour into prepared pan.  Arrange bread cubes in an even layer over apples.

In the bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and the remaining cinnamon.  Pour over bread, making sure every piece is fully soaked.  Cover with aluminum foil.  (Stop here and refrigerate if you are doing this the night before.)

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake covered for 40 minutes.  Remove cover, and bake 10 minutes more.  Let stand 5 min before serving.  These times may be totally different for you.  Our oven is tempermental and most recipies must be watched rather than timed.

How much does it make?  Oh, I’m so glad you asked.  Here’s what was left after breakfast for four.

Enjoy!

Yesterday, Brother stumbled down the stairs mid-afternoon whimpering all the way.  Not crying, mind you, just a dull whimper.

I was sitting at my computer knee-deep in the glamourous world of Access database queries as he approached.

“Mama?”

“Yes, Brother.”

(pause)

“Mama?”

“Yes, Brother.”

(pause)

“Mama?”

“Brother, would you like to sit with me?”

No answer except his small body struggling up then wrapping itself into the cutest little ball ever.

“Is that better?”

A little sigh followed by even breathing and the occasional snore told me it was.

(In case you’re wondering this is an actual picture of the moment.  With my camera only inches away how could I not try to capture the moment?)

Did you know that if you tightly hold 4 dry erase markers in your hand and gallop around the house saying things like, “Whoa, horsey!” and “Giddyup!” that you can effectively turn your surroundings into your very own “Home on the Range?”  Well, I didn’t but Brother did.  He just introduced me to his markers horse.  Her name is “Sir.”

Isn’t imagination the greatest thing ever!

We are converting an ugly, old, folding table into a new, cutesy, craft table which is a craft project all by itself. 

My little helpers are having so much fun.

Sister says, “Broooother!  You don’t have to paint everywhere I do!”

Does it seem to anyone else that this brush is headed for Brother’s face?

Nope - He escaped unscathed…. except of course for the part where he stuck his whole hand down into the paint bucket.  You’ll forgive me if I was a too distracted to get a picture of that. 

We’ll post up the finished product when we get it done.  IF we get it done!

Here are some unexpected steps I saw this week:

Any guesses?  …. It’s Sister’s afternoon snack.  I gave her three slices of cheese which she stacked like so.  “Look, Mom.  They’re steps.”  She took one bite out of her creation then handed it back to me.  ”I’m not hungry anymore.”   *sigh*  Oh, well.

Here was my original idea for this post:

It’s a fountain near our home.  I’ve always liked the step effect the designers created.

Did you play?

So it’s 4:30 AM and Brother rolls over to search for his sippy cup.  He finds it but oh, horror of horrors… “It’s enty, Mama. I nee more appa juice.” (Yes, I give my child juice at night.  I have other parenting flaws too.  Too many to recount here so let’s just move on, shall we?)  Knowing this time was coming I had prepared a second cup during one of the other umpteenth night awakenings.  Will’s hand fumbles around on the nightstand, finally grasps the backup, and hands it in Brother’s general direction all without opening an eyelid.

“NO!, NO! Mama get it!”

Fine.  Will hands the cup to me and I hand it in Brother’s general direction.

“No! Not dat one. Dis one.”

He shoves the empty cup toward me.

“It’s enty, Mama. I nee more.”

Yes, we’ve been through this.  There are nights when I would have engaged in a struggle to get him to take the perfectly good, perfectly full backup but this was not one of them.

“Okay.  I’ll be right back.”

I stumble to the kitchen where the ever helpful motion sensitive light greets me in a way that makes me want to throw something at it.  (Note to self: flourescent and early mornings don’t mix.)  Instead, I bang feverishly at the wall until I get lucky, hit the switch and am bathed in sweet blackness.  I grope my way to the fridge — “Agrhh, more light.”– grab the apple juice and let the door shut.  In the darkness, my well-practiced hands take off first the juice lid then the sippy one.  Then in one swift motion that would make a ninja jealous I pry open the fridge door with my toe, pour the juice, grab the lid and shove the container in replacing its top on the way.  Lightless once again, I reach for the sippy cup lid.  Knock it off the counter.  Turn to look. (Uh newsflash, Toni - Can’t see in the dark.) Kick it.  Kick it again.  Corner it behind the recycle bin.  Realize even if I do catch this thing it will have to be washed.  Think about the effects of cold water on the hands of an amazingly still half-asleep person.  Leave it.  I fish around in the cabinet through a mountain of lids until my fingers light upon the shape I’m seeking.  With the lid halfway on I realize a stopper may useful.  Take the lid off.  Poke around through the stopper stack; stopper in; lid on; down the hall we go.

Back in bed I am greeted only by silence.  All eyes are closed.  Everyone’s breaths are even and rhythmic in a lullaby sort of way.  I shake my head and sigh as I sit the new juice next to my sleeping son.   A minute later, after I’ve plumped my pillow and found the sweet spot once again a soft voice breaks the silence.

“Good job, Mama!  I so proud you.”

“Thank you,” I reply to the voice as it tucks the cup under an arm and returns to dreamland.

Thank you and good night.

You know those little styrofoam peanuts they use as packing material.  I keep a small baggy of them around for highly supervised crafts but other than that try to avoid having them in a house with young children about.  They could be swallowed and choked on.  Or even worse they could be mistaken for confetti by sweet, helpful children who only want to spread a bit of joy to the world.  And this is why I carefully concealed the large box full of peanuts that arrived today.  Oh, it wasn’t just packing peanuts there was a product in there too … somewhere.  After removing the important stuff, I hid the box in the middle of the living room behind an invisible wall of hope so it couldn’t be discovered.  I was waiting for the April showers to pass by enough that I could make a mad dash to the trash.  But those clever children found me out before then. 

“Oh! Look!  What are these?!

“They’re packing peanuts.”

“COOL!  Can I play with some?”

Please note that this next statement was made against my better judgement but I was trying to up my “cool mom” quotient. (which is already so ridiculously high I don’t even know why I bothered.)

“Uhm, okay…. but just a few.”  (Mistake #1)

Then I returned to my task. (Mistake #2)

After about 20 min (I know, I know.  That was too long.  - Mistake #3), Brother came running around the corner.

“Mama, mama!  Sister need yours help!”

I found Sister knee-deep in the box of peanuts.  Her foot sticking out of a small hole through which numerous errant peanuts had fled.  Hmm, perhaps I should have clarified the concept of “few.”

“Sister?  Is there anything you’d like to say?”  Which of course, is mommy speak for “Any last words?

Her reply.  “Hehe.” (Imagine this said with a sheepish little grin and laughter twinkling behind those eyes.)

One last reflection on this incident and a bit of a warning for the rest of you.  

One little girl jumping up and down wearing velvet pants + 4,000 styrofoam peanuts (give or take) = unbelievable static cling the likes of which no broom and few vaccuums will ever conquer.

“Mama, I sleep with you?” (meaning can I move from my pillow to yours?)

 - “Sure”

“Mama, I snuggle you?”

 - “Yes, Brother”

“I love you, Mama.  You look great.”

Not to be outdone, Will chimes in.

“I love you, baby.  You look great.”

Now that’s what a woman wants to hear in the morning.

****************

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:8  (from the back of the notepad I hastily grabbed to start a “to do” list)

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“Oh, I lost my train.” (Grandma, having been interrupted before she could complete her thought.”)

“You have a train?!” (uttered incredulously by Sister)

****************

“Growl, growl - I’m a kitty.”  (Sister during her regular “pretend I’m something else” time.)

****************

“Mama, help me my game.  Thomas lost.”  (Brother with terrible sadness and fake sniffling).

****************

“Did you know George Washington Carver invented THREE HUNDRED uses for peanuts!” (information delivered by Sister courtesy of BrainPop jr.)

****************

“24? - yeesh!”  (Sister’s response to when Aunt R revealed her age.)

“I can’t believe I just got a ‘yeesh’ about my age.  I am soo old.”  (Aunt R.)

****************

“Sooo, let’s get cookin’.”  (Sister to me when I was blogging instead of helping her make muffins.)

****************

(overheard)

“That’s a pretty nifty drum set.” (Sister)

“Yeah, dat’s petty nif dum set.” (Brother) 

****************

- “Sister I’m going shopping, I’ll be back soon, Aunt R is in charge.” (Me)

“Okay, but you realize that means we may watch TV.” (Sister)

- “Brother I’m going shopping, I’ll be back soon.” (Me)

“No, no, no, I come too.” (Brother)

****************

“Oh, Mama I wuv it… peeeese.” (Brother seeing a Diego scooter at Wal-mart.)

“I’na go home.” (Brother not long after being told he couldn’t have the Diego scooter at Wal-mart.)

****************

“I sad. I [have] no socks. (Brother after waking up from a nap alone.)

****************

(at dinner)

“Did you know George Washington Carver was known as the Plant Doctor?” (Sister)

- Oh? Why is that? (Will)

“I have no idea.” (Sister)

****************

(everybody after dinner)

Boop

- beep

beep

– boop

beep

-boop

boop

– beep, beep

boop

(and on and on and on….)

****************

“Look Mom.  Look a us. We’re dancing!” (from Brother.  Unfortunately, there is no way a quote can capture the cuteness of your family dancing to Malaguena.)

“the lil lord Jesus lay down he lays!” (Brother’s version of Away in a Manger sung to Flamenco.)

****************

“E.J. IS HERE!!” (the Yahoo popup announcing an incoming email and the birth of a second cousin)

****************

“I not Brother, I Joe” (Brother)

- “Well get your pajamas on Joe.” (me)

“Okay” (Brother)

****************

“Not Naughty Diesel again!  I think I’ll go to bed early.” (Sister on Brother’s choice of bedtime stories.)

****************

“To bed to bed to bed we go

To bed to bed to bed we know

It’s time to go and rest our heads

On our pillows in our beds

It’s time to close our eyes and sleep

And pray the Lord our souls to keep.” (everybody)

****************

Good Night.