Cumulatively Wonderful Day

Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes right?  If you're like me, it doesn't happen often, so you've got to write it down to remember it!  Yesterday was one of those days, and while none of the events were earth-shattering, they were, cumulatively, wonderful.

• I had intelligent, child-free discussion with a group of fabulous women at Mom's Group
• Someone who owed me money paid me back
• Two weeks after it went kaput, the dishwasher part I've been waiting for arrived
• Because the weather was unseasonably beautiful, hubs came home early and the 4 of us took a long walk at a nearby park and had some unexpected fun family time in the middle of the day
• I found a pair of pants and a top that fit me when I exchanged a clothing item!
• My peanut butter fudge was the "most popular" dessert at the MVMOM meeting last night, which was a blast - getting to hang out with other multiples' moms always is!
• I actually won a prize when my name was drawn last night and now have a very cool Christmas gift for one of my nephews.
• A new-mom friend and I got to catch up last night and for over an hour, we shopped, snacked and chatted.
• And one of my readers (at the dessert table, nonetheless!) asked me, "Are you Twin Engines?" and told me all about how she likes to read my blogs to get traveling tips b/c her twins are 4 months older than mine and they fly a lot.  I was so surprised to have found an actual READER! who's not my family - it tickled me pink!
• My friend, E, debuted her business, Marigold Baby, at the Holiday Boutique last night and sold a bunch of items and took orders!  I'm very proud of her because she's worked so hard to get everything up and running.  You can check out her business at www.marigoldbaby.etsy.com.
• The dishwasher part was installed when I got home! What a fabulous hubby I've got.

Marigold Baby G

Peanut Butter Fudge

1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. margarine

Mix together well.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Mix well and fast.  Pat mixture into a glass pie plate.  Cool and enjoy.

By the way, that recipe is from an old church cookbook  (it's my mom's friend's recipe on page 139 of the CCC 2003 edition).  I've had it for many years and last night was the first time I tried the fudge because I had to make something to take for the dessert table - I remembered at the last minute.  Whenever I'm in trouble, I crack open that old church cookbook and I find something every time!

So I fell asleep last night a happy lady, thinking maybe I do make the world a better place by writing my blog and trying out new recipes on unsuspecting folks.  And knowing that God has blessed me with some wonderful people in my every day life.  

Operation Destruct-o-boys

Dear Grandmas,

This is your two-week notice: WE ARE COMING!  And we are going to DESTROY!

We've been practicing all week.  Here's our plan:
First, M will spin around in circles in the living room to get dizzy, giggling and squeaking like a mouse.  You will think this is hilarious!  You won't see N as he pushes something to use as a footstool and climb onto the dining room chair, then the table and mess up everything he KNOWS you're keeping from him!

When you run to get N off the table, M will make a break for a kitchen cupboard, empty it completely, and climb in.  Then the brothers will have a giggling good time opening and closing the door until one of them drags the other out by his collar, causing a fight.  Then one of the them will step on to a cupboard object, it will fly out from underneath him and he'll bang his head onto the floor, causing both of them to cry.

To console them, you'll put a boo-boo bunny on the bump and turn on a cartoon, which reminds them THERE ARE BUTTONS TO PUSH!  And they will be instantly happy pushing all the TV and DVD and remote control buttons they can reach.  You'll spend weeks fixing the settings and get them right just before we come back for Christmas. 

You'll try to corrall them on your couch and N will decided that it's more fun to take all the cushions off the couch, which is just as well because M will bring you a blanket throw because he wants you to put it on his head so he can play "ghost."  Then he'll walk around and trip over the blanket only to fall onto the pillows and couch cushions.  Make sure you've got another blanket because N will decide he's taken all the cushions off and he wants to be a ghost, too.  This is hilarious when the ghosts bump into each other.  You can have minutes of fun!

Boo!

You'll decide to get them a snack but you'll say "cookie" and they will follow you around like little ducklings saying "coo-kie? coo-kie? coo-kie?coo-kie?" and if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for milk, which is, oddly, the "milk" sign accompanied by "baba?"  Don't ask me why.  Then they will bombard with "mo?mo?mo?mo?" until you give them another.

Exasperated, you'll say, "All done!" and they'll repeat "Ahh Duh!" and you'll try to wash their hands in the sink because you gave them chocolate or yogurt covered cookies, but they're too short so you'll be holding them over the sink and the wash-ee will be grabbing everything in sight to put into his mouth while the dirty kid will be playing with magnets and scratching up your refrigerator.

In an effort to keep them occupied, you'll desperately try to get them to play with toys.  Pish-shaw!  They found your purse and are actively removing and inspecting each and every item.  You won't know this until you hear your car alarm sounding.

Finally, you'll decide it's naptime (hallelujah!) and put them in their beds only to get a big squeeze around the neck and if you're lucky, a snotty kiss and a "nigh-nigh."

And you'll decide you love your daughter (in-law) even more than you did before she dropped them off an hour ago. 

DIY Project

I'm teaching myself how to crochet.  Tonight I made a mouse scarf.  

Except hers is better.

Cake Wrecks

I have a baking problem.  So does my sister in law.  And when you get the two of us together for a few days, some strange (and delicious) things happen

Don't judge a book by its cover -  it's made from scratch; a white cake with lemon filling.  We're still working on the "fluffy white frosting."  It tasted great!

We tried our hands at buttercream icing in May with great success.  L and I made tons of these for the boys' birthday cakes:

And we made my grandmother's cinnamon roll recipe, too.  We stayed up late waiting for dough to rise so we could eat these delicious little guys in the morning:

After experiencing sweet success, we upped the ante in August with this delicacy: tiramisu!

Always remember, though, pride comes before the fall:

We had to redeem ourselves this time, so we chose a recipe destined for greatness: Grandma's Sweet Potato Pie.  Can't wait to dig in tonight!

I guess it's our adult version of make-believe; we'll never open a bakery, so we just pretend we have our own cooking show!

Wordless Wednesday

Got Goldfish?

Perhaps the boys were learning the story of the loaves and the fishes in the church nursery this morning? 

One fish, two fish,

No fish for you, brother!

Ha, ha, I tricked him!

There's gotta be one fish left for me!

No more fish.  Darn.

Nope.

Dear Diary,

I don't like the coffee grinder.

I like French Toast, though!

I like everything!

What's that kid doing?

Say Cheese!

Watch me climb these smooshy steps, mom!

This is such a riot!

Zoom zoom! I'm speedy!

I wonder if mom is noticing me eat all these M&Ms?

Nathans decorated cookie!

I <3 BACON but I hate getting my car washed!