Clarifications

1. I froze the chocolate pudding recipe mentioned below into fudgesicles, which were even better than the pudding. But, if you like chocolate pudding, this recipe is worth trying just for that too.

2. The Cascade dishwasher soap that I was so impressed with is Cascade Complete, which come to find out when I go to buy another box, happens to be twice the price of the normal Cascade or Electrasol. It better do a decent job at $6 a box!

This is my latest addiction. Fresh out of the oven, these are so good you won't be able to stop. I've lost track of how many times I've made them in the past 3 months. Way too many. Which explains those extra pounds I've been carrying around.

Little Gal's Perspective on Snow

It snowed last night. About 4 inches. Enough to hang in the trees, blow by the windows, and make everything look sparkly clean. I took my little helper out to shovel with me this afternoon. When I opened the garage door, she looked out at the white wonderland and declared, "Ucky!!!" Horrified, she stood in the doorway for a long time, watching as I shoveled the area in front of the door. When I started a path out to the car, she headed back into the garage, finally decided on what to do with this uckiness. She returned with the Little Tikes lawnmower. After a few steps outside, she stopped, leaned over, and brushed the snow from the wheels. "Ucky." I pushed snow off the car and she abandoned the lawnmower for whining. Things really went south when she took off her makeshift mittens (socks) and promptly fell in the snow, ending up with icy fingers in a whole pile of ucky. Oooh, did she howl!

Kids come in small packages, but this doesn't mean they're stupid!

Yesterday Annika was helping me with the laundry, while clutching both of her beloved blankies. My washer eyed those dirty blankets rather hungrily and the mean mommy that I am agreed they could use a ride. I snatched one and stuffed it into the laundry bag and Annika surrendered to the idea with only a small protest. So, 2 hours later when we went down to move clothes to the dryer, she remembers this whole episode and starts sifting through the wet clothes looking for beloved blankie. Luckily, she started calling for it without ever seeing it, and since it was in a bag it was partially disguised. I managed to tuck it in the dryer before she found it, but man, did I feel sneaky.

Fool Mommy Episode #2: Annika slurped happily on the pacifier she had snuck out of the dishwasher while I was busy loading breakfast dishes. We've been trying to convince her to leave the pacifying equipment in the crib, so I asked her, "Can you put your pacifier in the crib?" She looked up at me with her big blue eyes, and said enthusiastically, "Yaaah!" She ran off to her room and in a moment, she was back with a DIFFERENT pacifier in her mouth, AND a blanket. That wasn't quite what I had in mind. Though, technically speaking, she did do what I asked.

My big and little girls

We had checkups last week. Annika weighed in at 22 lbs. She came in at the 50th percentile for height, 10% for weight. Keira tipped the scales to nearly 14 lbs. She's at 95% for both height and weight. Doc said he didn't have any concerns about malnutrition for her. At least she's proportional! Before long people are going to be asking if they're twins.

Pretty tree

I always wanted to decorate a christmas tree. Today I got my chance. While the salesperson adjusted my new glasses, Annika removed the red and gold balls from the office christmas tree. When I turned around, the lower half of the tree was naked. I dressed it back up, but it wasn't very satisfying. In fact, it was a little embarrassing.

How's the weather up there?

My family is tall. Dad has held the record at 6'6" and a pinch. His dad and brother are right behind him. Or maybe I should say, right below him. Now, the next generation of boys is growing up and cousin Blake is showing potential. The other boys will have no problem using the basket on the top of the fridge for their car keys and change, but they'll need to eat a few more wheaties if they intend to pass up Dad. So, Blake arrives this Thanksgiving holiday and we have to do a little assessment. Who's tallest? It's so close, the old ruler trick just isn't going to cut it.