Happy Halloweiner

I don't care what anybody says.
"Happy Halloweiner" is funny.

It's been funny since I was 8.
And it's still funny.
Lil' thinks its funny and so does Big.
So there.
Happy Halloweiner everybody.

Here's who Big was trying to be: Phil Robertson from the Duck Commander.

Pretty close.

"List" Worthy

Man, it feels good to check one off my "list". Have you made your list? You must have a list. A list of things you gotta do before you wrap up here and move on to the next place.

I've got big things that may never be able to happen on my list. And then I have things that are probable but not likely. This was one of those. But it actually happened. It's hard to make "list" things happen. But this one really did and it was awesome.

Seeing my favorite, favorite band with 5 of my favorite, favorite people in a place that is ridiculous. And crazy. And ridiculous. I'll never forget Saturday night of this past weekend. It was fantastic, harmonious, and check off the "list" worthy. 10/23/10.

A Beautiful Concept

I believe that in life, there are people who help mold you like a big ole' oak tree helps mold a road. Or like a river carves a mountain. These people...they guide you. They help you go left when you want to go right. They are there, even when they aren't. They sweeten the blood that is in your veins and pumps your heart. These are people who you create a whole new label for. A God-Sister - what a beautiful concept.

Lemovine, If You Will

Pound cakes are great. Aren't they? My Mama can hit you with a pound cake that will make your head spin. Her's is a little almondy flavored. It's good. Real good. It reminds me of funerals though. Not sure why, it just does.

I was recently introduced to this little treasure. It is light. It is lemony. It. Is. Divine. Divinely lemonly. Lemonly divine. Lemovine if you will.

Lemon Cake / Barefoot Contessa

2 (8-inch) loaves
Ingredients 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired. Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.


Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook
over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.


For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Catching Fish With It

One of the strangest experiences I've had as a parent is seeing myself through the eyes of my parents. Sometimes, I'll look at my kids but I don't see them. I see me. And when I look at me, I see my parents.

It happens when I hear Big say something familiar or when I see Lil' do something sneaky. It happened this weekend when I saw Big throwing a cast net for the first time off the same dock and into the same water that I threw mine off of for the first time.

I was thinking, "Don't get too close to the edge. Put the weight in your front teeth. Errr, side teeth, since you have no front teeth. Reach way down the neck of the net, use your whole body, watch the edge, watch the edge, watch the edge!"

He was thinking, "Let me catch one. Please,  just one, just one, just one. Let me show her I can do it."

The circle wasn't perfect for him but it was perfect for me. And as I watched him, I figured out that life really is very much the same way. You teach them what you know. You teach them what you were taught. It's not always perfect but they can still catch fish with it.

Big and The Donut Maker

Lil' has decided that she wants to be a donut maker when she grows up. She used to want to be a Mama but I think she's seen my c-section scar one too many times and now she's had a change of heart.

A donut maker. Really?

Big got super mad at her yesterday. We had to go in to his classroom to do a little volunteer work and we were only in there for 2.2 seconds, but it was long enough for her to seriously ruin his day. Apparently when she saw him, she got so excited and she yelled out "Woooooookie!!!!" Everybody started laughing and Big was furious! Are you that old now? Do you really care? Please don't care yet.

That's this week's installment of "Big and The Donut Maker."

The End.

Thank You

You both told us "Thank You" every single day. We didn't ask you for it. You just did it on your own. Nothing makes a Mama more proud than that.

You took your very first hike. And you won! You beat the mountain that day Lil'!

You fell in love all over again with hiking.

Thank You.

Thank you Daddy.

Thank You Mama.

Thank You.