By Sun and Candlelight

Thursday Morning Surprise ...

Coffee cake for breakfast!

Using up extra strawberries and leftover cream, and a package mix I found in the pantry. The boys came out to the kitchen this morning wondering what on earth smelled so good!

How I relish days like these ...

❤

Remembering Memorial Day

Good Tuesday Morning, my friends!

What a lovely, long holiday weekend that was! Very festive and fun - but it's hard now to shift back into the "workweek!" Before I launch into my busy Tuesday, I thought I'd share a few pictures from our holiday ...

I just liked this shot ... our front door open to let in morning light, the neighborhood waking slowly ...  Bill hung our American flag yesterday, and the cats were absolutely fascinated! I didn't get a shot of it, but Ollie in particular just could not take his eyes off this big, new, strange, waving thing ...

Eventually, they curled up and fell asleep in the doorway - I could not resist a picture of this:

Midday, we hosted a cookout for family and friends ...

I love setting up the buffet. :)

Here we have leftover Pentecost cupcakes - candles removed, flags inserted - made into Memorial Day treats!

I love the label on this ketchup bottle ...

The dining table set with a patriotic display ...

For our meal we had hamburgers and hotdogs, pasta salad, baked beans, chips, dip - the usual cookout fare. After lunch, we all meandered outside - some to sit and chat, some to play ...

I served desserts on the deck ...

There were cupcakes - both the aforementioned vanilla and sprinkle-topped chocolate (brought by Uncle Matt's lovely friend, Erin) - as well as ice cream with fresh berries and homemade raspberry sauce. Yum!

Love this picture of Crackerjack (with Bookworm in the background) ...

Later on, after the guests had left, the kids lingered outside - it was such a beautiful, "summery" evening ...

Bill tossed the football around with the boys, while I spied on our robin's nest ...

Isn't it gorgeous? It's tucked just inside the lilac bush, sitting securely on the fence railing.

The sunset was lovely ... golden and soft. 

A Memorial Day to remember ~ for family, friends, food, fun ...

... and the blessing of freedom to enjoy it all!

***

Hope you all have a GREAT Tuesday ... see you here again very soon!

On the Last Sunday in May ...

After Mass this morning (Happy Pentecost Sunday!), the older boys and I accompanied my folks as they visited family graves. This is a tradition in many families at this time of year. I grew up helping my grandmother attend to the myriad family graves ... I especially enjoyed hearing all the stories about "who was who," and "who lived where" and "who did what." I probably heard the same stories again and again, but that didn't matter ... I was soaking up family history and spending time with my Gram. :)

So our first stop was at a favorite florist to buy plants - next year I *will* make something homemade! - and then it was on to the first cemetery.

It was a beautiful morning to begin with, very bright and mild ...

The boys helped neaten the gravesites by pulling weeds around the headstone ...

Here is where my mother's parents are buried (along with her paternal grandparents). 

And in another cemetery in the next town, we visited the grave of my maternal great-grandparents and beloved great aunt. I never knew my great-grandparents, but I was quite close with Great Aunt Dolly was when I was a very little girl. ...

This statue does not belong to my family, but I thought it was beautiful.

Crackerjack asked if we could stop so he could get a picture of the veterans' graves. My mother's cousin is buried here.

And lastly, we visited the grave of my father's parents and uncle. (Yes, there are Riley's on both sides of my family ... unrelated of course!)

Cemeteries can be hard for people - perhaps children especially - as they are reminders of something painful, a loss of a loved one. But they are also quite beautiful and peaceful ... they offer us a chance to remember those loved ones, and respect the very life with which we've all been so blessed. Goodness knows it goes by so fast ...

❤

I hope you are all having a nice Sunday ... I'm off now to frost feast day cupcakes and mix up a big fruit salad. It's chicken on the grill tonight!

See you all again soon!

A Day at The (Science) Fair!

This post is about our homeschool group's Science Fair - and all the neat exhibits and nice kids - but most of all, it's a post about Earlybird and how he participated in his first science fair ever!

(The Fair was held in the community room of a local library. Unfortunately, there's not much natural light in this room, so my pictures are all rather dark.)

So to back up a bit, when I first got wind of the Fair, we - or rather, I - decided to do a tree project with Earlybird. I thought this would be easy since trees are readily available to observe. They are also something familar to EB and of which he is quite fond. There are other "scientific" things he likes - such as planets and steam engines - but he's a bit obsessive about those subjects. I thought we'd "branch out" a bit and choose something a little more low-key.

Ideally, when it comes to science fairs and the like, a child chooses his own subject. But EB can be funny about these things. Knowing that he'd balk at the idea of "doing a fair" or making all these activities "more important" than they seemed to be ... I kind of kept the Fair itself under wraps.

So we just started talking about and looking at trees everyday, and on Arbor Day, we conducted the "Tree Poll" at my blog. Then over this past week, leading up to the Fair on Friday, I kind of kicked things up a notch and we started creating a presentation from all our work. (At this point EB knew we were going to the library on Friday *with* Daddy because he had the day off, and that we'd see our homeschool friends there ... he still didn't know his tree project would be on display!)

And speaking of displays, here it is!

I chose an end corner next to the doorway for EB's display, because I wanted it to be easy for him to duck in and out of the room.

Our exhibit consisted of this:

A binder entitled "Trees by Earlybird" (only, we used his real name, natch) which contained many pages of tree-related information and activities (quotes from books we read, bark rubbings, worksheets, maps, pictures of "our" trees, a bibliography listing books we read, a favorite tree quote, etc.).

A bin holding "Tree Things" we collected: acorns and helicoper seeds, spruce cones (with fresh sap), bark, leaves, etc.

A maple tree sapling, complete with roots. (Pulled up from our front lawn.)

Also on display, our Tree Poll results!

Bill helped EB and me take our raw data and turn it into this great graph! (He used the Numbers program on my Mac to do this.) And as it turned out, maple trees are the most popular tree! (My own pick is the sugar maple - for its gorgeous, orange fall foliage - though I also love oak, apple and hawthorne trees, too.)

Just for fun, I had EB decorate a small tub with leaf stickers and we set up a small voting station as part of the exhibit. (Maples won, once again!)

Fyi, the orginal results were as follows:

Maple ... 13 votes

Oak & Cherry ... 9 votes each

Birch & Willow ... 5 votes each

Dogwood, Apple & Eastern Redbud ... 4 votes each

Magnolia, Redwood & Japanese maple ... 3 votes each

The rest of the trees got 1 or 2 votes apiece: Poplar, Crepe Myrtle, Plum, Christmas, Banyan, Pine, Palm, Aspen, Ginko, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Carambola, Jacaranda, Pecan, Cedar, Balsam, Hemlock.

*

So the older boys and I had arrived ahead of time to help with set up. Bill brought Earlybird over a bit closer to the start time ... and as predicted, he completely changed his mind as they approached the library.

"No, I don't want to go to the Library! I just want to stay home!"

Fortunately, as EB gets older, it's easier to snap him out of these bouts of indecision and obstinance (they usually concern transitions of some kind). In this case I just took his hand and suggested a quiet turn about the library - no pressure, just walking around - and this seemed to re-set his batteries. Once he let go of that tension he was ready to try again ... in fact, look how excited he was to check the Fair out!

Unfortunately (but not surprisingly) he would go nowhere near his own exhibit (or that of his brothers - seen below, to the left of EB's tree display) so I could not get a picture of him *with* his own project!

I think he was quite over trees by now, lol. But he found the other exhibits very interesting!

Naturally, the solar system presentation was a huge draw.

As was the shark exhibit ...

 (He really wanted to get his hand in that blue water!)

As the room filled up with presenters and observers, EB got itchy, so Bill took him over to the children's room to decompress.

Nothing beats a little train-table time for finding his "quiet" again.

Meanwhile the kids finished setting up. I think there were 20 presenters in all! If I may, I'd like to give you all a little tour ...

Here we have a display about Bridges.

And another on Migrating Birds.

This one was all about The Human Heart.

And this was an experiment on Current Electricity.

This presentation was all about Aerodynamics ... that is a flight simulator program being demonstrated on the laptop. How clever!

Here's a presentation on Robots ...

... and another on Alchemy, an early form of chemistry, practiced in the Middle Ages.

This was a very cool River Delta demonstration.

And this was a super cool Magic Milk experiment!

Some of the kids prepared talks to go along with their displays. This first talk was on Solar Energy - it was very enlightening! (And wonderfully dramatized!)

This was perhaps the most adorable presentation I've ever seen. This little boy (I'm not sure of his age, but as you can see, he's quite young) prepared an exhibit all about the Saber-Tooth Tiger. His talk was very informative and focused. As he talked, he showed us his saber tooth fossil which looked just like the real thing - a tooth that could grow to be about 19 inches long! Unfortunately, however, as this young lad pointed out, his fossil tooth was only 10 inches long ... because they ran out of clay. :)

And here are my older boys in the midst of their talk on Steampunk Science, aka "Victorian Era Science in Fact and Fiction, and How It Compares with Modern Day Reality." They talked about the Industrial Revolution, steam power and machines like submarines and airships as they were first imagined and then later invented. They brought books by Jules Verne and Scott Westerfield so they could give examples of science-influenced literature. And of course, they built Legos - a "steam-powered" airship and a scene from a famous "steampunk" movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Not shown, but also present, were exhibits on the largest flower on earth, first aid, tsunamis, as well as a great ball contraption.

Everyone worked so hard on their projects and everyone was so good about paying attention and showing respect to others. They really are a great group of kids - and familes! - and we're blessed to be learning and living alongside them.

As for Earlybird, well wouldn't you know it, he ended up having a GRAND time at The Fair! He would dart out of the room if it got too crowded (or too quiet if a talk was being given) but he really enjoyed looking over all the exhibits and asking the kids to tell him all about what they had done. We were very proud of how well he handled himself, and the day, from start to finish!

The Fair wrapped up around 2 p.m. At this time we broke down the displays and tables, gathered our stuff, said our goodbyes and headed home.

And that was our Day at the (Science) Fair!

Now, before I go (and I know I've kept you here long enough!), I'd like to show you what EB and I set up in his room today ... see the third shelf down?

This is the kit that was used by the boy who did the Solar System exhibit - the one EB loved so much! It's called Smart Lab: Stars and Planets. My friend Patricia told me where to find the kit and today I picked one up!

And when I got home, EB and I set up a little "science fair space" in his room ...

He's quite pleased, as you can see ...

I think the wheels are already turning for next year!

*

Well my friends, I hope you enjoyed this (not-so-little) tour of our Homeschool Science Fair! Thank you so much for reading and letting me share the joy we found in our day. It really was such fun - a great experience to remember and build on.

Hope you're all having a good weekend ... I'll see you here again very soon!

❤

Cheers!

It's National Wine Day!

And Happy Weekend - it's Friday at last!

We're celebrating a really nice day here ... Earlybird participated in his first ever Science Fair, and he did so very well! (BIG post coming tomorrow all about it!) While Bookworm got his first ever SAT scores back this morning and he did SO very well! And Crackerjack - though he told me he was nervous to speak at the Fair - found his voice and spoke right up to add his own thoughts to his and Bookworm's presentation. Good job, CJ! So we're celebrating our three sons tonight and telling them how proud we are of them all ...

(Of course, only the grown ups are having the wine ... the boys are enjoying more child-friendly treats!)

So as mentioned above, I will be back tomorrow with a post chock-full of pictures from today's Science Fair. It really was a fun day - filled with lots of neat exhibits and cool experiments ... and that wonderful feeling you get when you're part of something really special and good. :)

So have a great night, my friends - take care of yourselves and your loved ones!

I'll be back here again very soon ...

❤

p.s. In the spirit of the day, may I ask ~ What's your favorite kind of wine?

Happy Holiday Weekend!

Ok, technically, the holiday weekend doesn't officially begin for oh, another 24 hours or so ... but Bill has taken tomorrow off, so we're starting our holiday early! And this makes me so happy ... as does finishing up Earlybird's science fair project today! So I thought I'd pop in to say hello, and share a few photos with you all on this fine Thursday evening.

My new summer bag. I'm in love with those colors!

Earlybird conducting "tree research" today.

I love how appealing school supplies look "basking" in the sun.

Our little scamps - in the middle of a "friendly disagreement."

(Note the terse ears.)

Look away, Mother. You don't want to see this.

And how sweet are these pansies?

And one more thing ... I found this bracelet today while I was cleaning a drawer in my bedroom. Bookworm (and Bill) bought this for me at a craft fair when my firstborn was ... oh, two maybe three?

It's quite dingy and worn, but that's only because I wore it ALL the time for many years. It sure brought a smile to my face to see that bracelet again. :)

***

Well, my friends, I hope you've all had a good day, and I hope your evening is stretching out nicely before you. I'm going to sign off till tomorrow ... but thank you so much for stopping by. I'll see you again very soon!

❤

Foxglove, Folk's Glove ...

Whatever you call it, it's lovely.

So I found a vibrant pink foxglove at the local supermarket this weekend and just could not resist snapping it up. I have loved these flowers forever - they tickle my Anglophilic heart, reminding me of the charming world of Peter Rabbit, as illustrated by Beatrix Potter.

I may be a lover of gardens and plants, but if you leave the actual planting to me, the poor specimen will perish before it gets in the ground. So Bill and Earlybird dug right in to help me out ...

This is the front birdhouse garden bed, where I hope to plant (or have planted) lots of butterfly- and bird-friendly things.

 Aren't they lovely?

"Foxglove, Foxglove, What do you see?"
The cool green woodland, The fat velvet bee;
Hey, Mr Bumble, I've honey here for thee!
"Foxglove, Foxglove, What see you now?"
The soft summer moonlight
On bracken, grass, and bough;
And all the fairies dancing
As only they know how.

("The Song of the Foxglove Fairy," from Flower Fairies of the Summer by Cecily M. Barker)

*

Well, my friends, I hope you've all had a nice weekend. Ours was very nice here - except for the part where the basement bathroom flooded due to sewer work being done on our street. Ugh.

We spent a good bit of time cleaning up. Luckily we have a lot of hands to help pitch in.

Looking forward to Sherlock tonight, and then to our chat in the morning!

See you all again very soon ...

❤

Our Afternoon Farm Stop

While Bookworm was at Art Class yesterday, Crackerjack and Earlybird and I took advantage of the gorgeous spring day, and paid a visit to a long-favorite farm. 

I say "long-favorite," because when Bill and I were first married we lived up in this area and this farm holds many fond memories for me. I would bring a baby Bookworm here once a week (at least!) to visit the animals and have a snack at the bakery.

Their main greenhouse is so lovely ...

And their bakery has many fresh and tempting selections. (Happily, the apple cider donuts are always in season.)

(Doesn't Crackerjack look so much older in this picture? It's hard to believe this kid will be 13 in August!)

At EB's request, I gave the boys pennies to throw into the farm wishing well bucket.

(I love that they still love to do this.)

And just look at all the vibrant dahlias!

I will definitely be returning to this farm over the next couple of weeks (before Memorial Day anyways, our traditonal planting time). There were so many wonderful annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, etc.

I was particularly thrilled to find out they will have morning glory plants for sale in a couple of weeks. I will definitely snatch up several of those!

Now, once EB spied the play area, we settled ourselves in at a picnic table, because we knew he'd be a while. And that was fine, because we had at least an hour to kill. EB absolutely LOVES playing in sand (or dirt) with trucks, STILL at 10 years old. (Because he's developmentally delayed, he still enjoys toys, tv shows and activities that appeal to younger children.) But I have to laugh at this picture, because look at the little fella just behind EB, all hands-on -hips and furrowed brow ...

You see, when EB appoached the wooden play structure there were several younger children already engrossed in play. He wanted to use a couple of the sand trucks (which had been piled up on the caboose) and his "intrusion" was not so warmly received. At least, not at first ... after a few tense moments, EB had won the crowd over.

Because this is my child, when he first walked up to the crowd (my homeschooled autistic child, mind you) ...

"Hi guys! How are you doin'?"

"I'm [Earlybird]! Who are you?"

"What are you playing? Can I help, too?"

"Hey, guys - let's work together!"

And so forth ... :)

("Socialization" is highly overrated, lol.)

Meanwhile, CJ and I sat and chatted at the table for a bit ... I have no idea what I said to him here that prompted that face, lol. 

I guess he's just reaching that age where he's not all that keen on having his picture taken.

While EB played on, CJ and I checked out the farm animals ...

The goats ...

The chickens (and turkeys and rooster) ...

The pigs ...

And the bunnies - though I didn't get a picture of them, because next thing I knew, EB had had enough of playtime and wanted something from the bakery. So back inside we went ...

My guys ... how I love spending my days with them.

EB had a cider donut and CJ picked out a muffin - one for his older brother, too. I myself had a tall, creamy iced coffee ... which SO hit the spot!

Before we left the farm, we weighed and purchased our rhubarb, which I used to make last night's souffle. I LOVE the experience of buying food from a farm and then serving it that night at our table. We are really enjoying our farm "studies" this year. 

***

Well, my friends ... it was a much quieter day for us today. Not so much in-and-out ... and as much as I love truckin' about with my boys, I do relish those days when we can just get our stuff done here (theirs, mine) with few interruptions. I myself got a lot of housework done, in anticipation of a busy weekend. I loathe wasting weekends on housework, so whenever possible Friday is a big "catch up" cleaning day for me.

I squeezed in some fun though - I worked on my newsletter and my clippings journal. Catching up with my creative side is a priority, too ... whenever I can manage it!

And as I finish this post, the day's wrapping up, and it's practically the weekend! So I'm going to sign off for now ... but you know I'll be back very soon ...

Have a good night, my friends!

❤ 

A Happy Mother's Day Brunch ❤

Well, this has been such a lovely day!

We had an early start (natch) ... I savored my first cup of coffee in bed ... then headed into the kitchen to bake something special for brunch. And just before leaving for Mass, I pulled this buttermilk-blueberry breakfast cake from the oven ...

Earlybird helped, especially with the lemon zest and the tossing of berries with flour. (He has a special love for lemons, lol.) I highly recommend this recipe ... it's very easy to make and super delicious to eat!

In my big red glass decanter, I mixed up a cold, fruity punch - it was just a strawberry juice blend mixed with seltzer - simple, but special. There were supposed to be floating strawberry slices too, but alas - I forgot to buy fresh strawberries! I served this over ice, in our pretty green glasses, and it was a very refreshing drink. The moms got a splash of Malibu rum just to give it a little zing.

EB and I scoured the yard for our "floral arrangements." You really can't beat azaleas for bright, punchy color, and as for dandelions ... well, if you're a mom, there's a special place in your heart for dandelions. :)

The rest of the meal consisted of two homemade quiches (one plain, one bacon) made by my mother, and a plate of apple-chicken sausages grilled up by Bill. There was also fresh fruit, a few pastries and freshly brewed coffee. And then of course there was the aforementioned blueberry cake ... I made up some whipped cream, just to put it over the top!

***

And here's a handmade card from my boys ...

"Mom, like the parable says, you are the tree and we are the branches. You support us and help us in everything we do."

      (And here is my heart -->❤<-- swelling with love.)

Here I am with my Mum ...

I will always count my mum as one of my greatest blessings in life. She not only gave me life - which, hello, you can't beat that as gifts go! - but she showed me how to live in a sincere and honorable way. She taught me how to be a lady, and that family always comes first. Today she supports my life in any way she's able ... she never hesitates to help or encourage, and she's the kindest person I know.

Without a doubt, the mom I am today is thanks to the mom she's been to me ...

I love you, Mum!

❤

And here we have two special gifts ...

The pen was a gift from our pastor this morning - there was a basket filled by the door, a pen for every mom - and how I love the bright pink! (The message is lovely, as well.) And we will always know who this belongs to, because anything pink in this house must be mine, lol! ;)

Now, the item sitting behind the pen takes some explaining ...

Crackerjack, as you all know, is taking an art class this year. He enjoys it so very much and we've been pleased to see him take such pleasure (and pride) in his artistic endeavors. Well, a few months ago, the class worked on clay projects ... I'd pick up CJ from class and he'd be covered in bits of clay, and his hands were so dry they'd drive him crazy! But he told me - very sincerely - that he couldn't tell me what he was making ... but that "someday," I'd know.

(Every mother knows what this means, but we never ever give away that we do.)

Well, come to find out - though not in the way CJ meant me to - he made a little teacup for me, knowing how much I truly love tea. He made some swirly rose shapes for the edge, and painted it all in my favorite shades of yellow, orange and red. And once it was dry and "set," he brought it home, just in time for Mother's Day ....

But then he left it in his bag.

The bag that sat in his bedroom.

Under his brother's bag, and, as the days went by, a multitude of other things such as shoes, jackets, toys and a couple of books.

>.<

While I was out shopping yesterday, Bill tried valiantly to glue it back together for CJ ... but as you can see, there was nothing he could do. The cup was crushed - and so was CJ - he rushed to tell me about it the moment I walked in the door.

And oh my gosh, my heart just broke ... because he tried so hard to make this such a big and special surprise. But I assured my 12 year old son - my sensitive one, who truly takes everything to heart - that I loved this unique cup first and foremost, because HE made it himself. It was made by his hands - with me in his mind and his heart. And that no matter its original purpose, I would love it and cherish it all the same.

So now ... I have a really awesome paperweight! Something that will hold down a stack of papers to grade, or receipts to look through or maybe some magazine clippings to peruse ...

Best of all, it's something that will always make me smile, and that's something I can truly use, every day.

:)

Well, my friends, I hope you've all had a nice Sunday, and if you're a mom (in any capacity) I wish you all a happy and relaxing evening. My night looks to be fairly simple - just as I like it - a little reading, a little supper, a little TV. Can't wait to catch our two favorite shows ... and can't wait to come back in the morning to chat with you all about it!

So thanks as always for stopping by and sharing in my day ... I will see you all again very soon!

Exploring "B" Foods Week

In continuation of a project we started last week, the boys and I are currently exploring "B" fruits and veggies. Our produce choices this week include bananas and blueberries, which are easy to love, as well as beets, which are not quite so ... "child friendly." ;)

Here are a few of my ideas for "B" week:

Bananas

Bananas are so sweet and delicious ... we're big banana fans in this house! So we started by finding out where bananas grow. Can they grow in our part of the world, we wondered? A quick look online and well, the answer was decidely, no. Banana plants need tropical conditions, year-round (not just in the depths of July).

We also found some neat video online that shows how bananas are harvested.

Earlier in the week we went shopping for bananas ... and we observed how some are yellow and some are green, and some are a little of both. We also saw bananas that were nearly brown! We chose some greenish ones so we could watch them ripen at home (and enjoy them fresh) and we also chose some "freckled" bananas with which we could bake something yummy.

We also bought a tub of Stonyfield Farms "BaNilla Yogurt. (We almost always have a tub of this in the fridge!) Saturday morning we'll make smoothies using this yogurt as the base.

And these would be fun to try if we have extra bananas and time!

*

Blueberries

Little blueberries, one of the few fruits native to North America, are a big deal here in New England! And we learned that May begins blueberry season, which lasts through October and peaks in late summer. And that makes sense to me, because I've always connected blueberries with August. My grandparents would come back from Maine with fresh quarts of blueberries and then Gram would make THE best pies and cake. Yum.

I also remember sitting on my grandparents' hillside and picking the bitty bushy berries that grew wild there ... I'd fill a tiny dixie cup ... eat half of them, and then bring some back for my grandmother to "cook." I can remember that hillside so vividly ... the scratchiness of the scrubby undergrowth, the various shades of the berries - some of them so puny and hard. I think finding and eating food in its natural environment - whether you grow it or seek it out - is such a memorable childhood experience. And such a great learning experience, too.

So we "googled" a little, and learned that our neighbor state, Maine, is the top U.S. producer of "lowbush" blueberries, whereas Michigan produces the most "highbush" blueberries. We investigated the difference between high- and low-bush berries and then looked up what we would need to grow blueberries on our own. (According to this book - which is FABULOUS, by the way - we can grow them in pots, so I'm now totally sold on the idea. Not quite the hillside I grew up with, but it will certainly do!)

Back at the market, we searched out a nice pint of blueberries to bring home (we checked to see where the different packages were from). I found this recipe for Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake which we will bake this weekend to serve at Mother's Day Brunch.

I also dug out and read our much beloved (and bedraggled) copy of Blueberries for Sal (making me simply pine for a summer in Maine) and I just requested Blueberry Train from the library. (How perfect for EB?)

*

{Note: I have no picture of beets here, because we have no beets just yet!}

Beets

So I must admit, there's not much love in this household for beets, but I did not let that deter me. My mother LOVES them and I have very fond memories of the beets my grandfather grew in his garden. I never ate them myself (or if I did, I repressed the memory), but he was so proud of them, and they were just huge and earthy and so vibrantly violet. And my grandparents and my mother just relished them. I always wished I did like them because they seemed like such an honorable vegetable to like.

So, my plan for exploring beets is this ...

We will watch one of our Jamie at Home episodes, titled "Carrots and Beets," and see what Jamie has to say about these humble root vegetables. I have his J@H cookbook (which is SO beautiful and makes for excellent reading whether you cook anything from it or not) and I am going to try making the "Roasted Carrots and Beets" one night to accompany our supper. The recipe involves herbs, citrus and balsamic vinegar and honestly it does all sound rather delicious. It will be an experience if nothing else.

But to find beets, I want to get as close to the source as possible, as it is my understanding that beets are at their best when freshly harvested. This is likely true for most fruits and vetegtables, but if you're a beet, you can probably use all the help you can get. The farmer's market would be the ideal place to find them - roundabouts late June or July - but we'll settle for a quality produce store. This weekend we'll visit either Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and see what kind of beets they have on hand. Hopefully we'll find beets of a smaller size and varied color, but we shall see what we shall see!

As I said to the boys, Nana loves beets, so there must be something good about them! (I'll let you know how it goes, and if you have a fondness for beets I'd love to know how you prepare them!)

*

Well, my friends, I'm going to sign off ... but thanks so much for stopping by! I also thank you for all the FANTASTIC dinner ideas you've been leaving me under yesterday's post! Lots of great ideas there ... and goodness knows, I can use them! I also thank you all for the kind words and encouragement for my daily domestic notes blog. It's fun for me to do and I'm glad you find it fun, too!

So take care of yourselves and your loved ones ... I'll be back here again very soon!

Stressed over Dinner?

So here's a headline that caught my eye in the Boston Globe today:

What's for Dinner, Mom?

"It sounds like the most benign question, doesn’t it? But figuring out what the heck to make, day in and day out, that will satisfy all those at the table—the carnivores, the vegetarians, the pasta-tarians, —is an enormous stressor for many mothers. If you want to really make mom happy this Sunday, forget the flowers and agree to eat something other than chicken fingers—without complaining."

*

So dear readers, I'm curious ...

Are you stressed over the whole dinner thing?

And if so, what about it stresses you out?

About a week ago I started another little blog - Daily Bits of Domestic Bliss - in an effort to keep track of my everyday housekeeping tasks. I'm really having fun with it, and I do find it helpful - it serves as a nice reminder and record - but I have to admit, about a day after I started it I had myself a little panic:

Gah, the pressure! My menus are open for public scrutiny!

But so far I think it's been good - this pressure - because it's given me a little nudge to be a bit more creative with our family diet. And goodness knows I needed it!

Because I'm a busy mom, "creative meal planning" can often get pushed aside for other more pressing domestic matters ... things like hygiene, sanity and good sleep. I'm also a creature of habit, which means it's very easy for me to fall into a comfortable rut ... and find myself making pizzas, pasta, burgers and grilled cheese pretty much night after night.

Sure my kids love all that easy stuff, but I want to expose them to a wider varety of foods. I'd like them to enjoy more vegetables and protein choices beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets. I really want them to appreciate the value of a homemade meal. And I love making meals that please my husband, who works hard all day and truly savors satisfying food at the end of that long day. And by "satisfying" I mean food that fuels both body and soul. It's healthy and balanced - it smells and tastes good - and best of all, it makes us all feel good ... maybe even great!

It's human nature, isn't it? This desire to eat not just for survival, but pleasure? To enjoy what we eat, and how we eat it?

So now that I'm "reporting in" - not only to myself, but my readers as well - I feel all the more motivated to create a week of balanced, nutritious, satsfying meals. I don't want anyone to think I have always been so creative or accomplished in the culinary arts! (Oh my gosh, hardly.) I'm pretty much making this up as I go along.

Of course, not everyone has a blog where they can kick their dinner-planning into gear, but how about teaming up with a friend, or a few friends with whom you can share dinner ideas and support? Get together to exchange recipes and menu plans, etc. Set up email prompts and reminders ... that could be fun!

Or how about posting your menu plan on the fridge and getting the family involved? If you've got it all figured out - they can answer their own question (that inevitable, everyday question) simply by taking a look at the plan. Or if you're stumped for dinner ideas ... put up the empty menu planner and ask for suggestions. Maybe assign each family member their own night to plan (and/or prepare)?

I'm all for finding ways to make dinner less stressful because really, dinner should be a good thing in the shared life of a family. It's not fair if one person's doing all the work, especially if she's also harboring all the stress. 

I mean, I'm a full-time mom, so I do handle most of the dinner details myself. I do ask for help though ... I ask for input and ideas. I ask for time (quiet and space) with which to work on my menus, clip my coupons and write out my lists. That may seem silly, but honestly, if I don't seek out that time and tell everyone I'm "working" I don't get it done. I also ask Bill to handle some of the meals (i.e. pizzas or any that involve grilling) and I ask the boys to help with the prep when I need them. And I always ask that those who did not cook, help with the cleanup. I love that time of day when I sit down, maybe with a glass of wine, and watch the table get cleared, the leftovers get put away and the dishwasher get started. That's a really nice "wrap" to my day.

:)

So my final question for you all, because I'm curious and can really use the inspiration:

What are THREE dinners you make for your family?

They can be old favorites or new, whatever you'd like ... and if you have a recipe to share, I'd love that too! (And if I use it on my blog, I'll give credit to you.)

So for now I'm working on what we eat ... soon I'll turn a thoughtful eye on how we eat. As in ~ involving the kids, setting the family table, creating a certain environment and the ritual of dinner itself. More on all that in a bit.

Well, thank you all for stopping by and considering my rambles and questions. Until next time, please take care of yourselves and your loved ones ...

I'll be back again very soon!

❤

Sunday Night Supper ❤

My man, manning the grill. :)

Dessert for the Kids: "Sunday Sundaes."

(Because Sunday's a special day, you get a special dessert. :))

*

And it was such a lovely evening ... the light at this time of day is so pretty.

I love how our woods "catch" those last fading rays.

Today we saw a bunny in our yard, a hummingbird at the feeders, and I spent some time admiring the new leaves on the big old maple tree ...

(Hence the new banner.)

And when Bill came in from grilling, a cold beer in one hand and a plate of steaks in the other, he said: "Here's the thing: You need to see the idyllic in the everyday." 

That just became my quote of the week.

❤

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful evening ... only ten minutes till Once Upon a Time! But I still have a kitchen to tidy and Bill is currently reading EB a bedtime story - thank goodness, for that DVR! And then after OUaT, and after we've sent the older boys to bed, Bill and I will settle in to watch Sherlock. I've heard such good things about it - I can't wait to tell you all what I think! So I'll see you here again early tomorrow ... but thanks so much for stopping by tonight!

:)

 

Off to the SAT!

Where HAS the time gone?

❤

Quick question for my Masterpiece Theater friends - is the PBS Sherlock series suitable for kids? (In my case, 12 and 16 year old kids - both of them big Sherlock fans?) I see the new season begins tomorrow night - and we're eager to check it out - but I don't know too much about this version ...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

(And have a great weekend, everyone!)

:)

May the Fourth be with You!

Happy Star Wars Day, my friends!

Well, it's no secret we're big Star Wars fans here (we have three boys, it was a pretty sure bet), but somehow I forgot about this neat "holiday!" (File-folder failure, lol.) Now, if I had remembered, and planned ahead, I would have made (or made Bill make) these pancakes. As it is, I have the younger two dressed in Star Wars shirts, and Bookworm found this Clone Wars Season 5 preview online. (Note: I haven't watched it myself, so it might not be "safe viewing" for younger children.) Another thought ... we might watch Star Wars tonight with the boys. One of the six movies anyway. What's your favorite of the Star Wars movies? I'd have to say mine The Empire Strikes Back. I liked that one even better than the first!

And while I'm here, and since it's Friday, how about a quick "Friday Felines?"

This is Archie's new favorite hang out - inside Crackerjack's school tote.

(As soon as got the picture, I disentangled the bag handles from his neck!)

I am also working on a file folder post follow-up, because there have been some great comments and questions left for me! I will do my best to get that up as soon as possible. If not later today (which is looking pretty busy at the moment) then certainly sometime this weekend.

Oh! And while I think of it ... our Bookworm will be taking the SAT exam tomorrow, and I would love for you to think of him and remember him in your prayers. He's been working very hard to prepare, and he's quite excited! I'm excited too - though I'm a little overwhelmed to think my firstborn is at this stage of life! - but I know he'll do his best. 

Thank you so much everyone - for your visit, for your support and encouragement. I hope you all have a Fantastic Friday! 

See you here again very soon ...

:)

Fresh Flowers and Bright Candles for May

In setting up our May altar yesterday, Earlybird and I scoured our yard for the freshest blooms ~ lilacs, bleeding hearts, azaleas, one single tulip and a few handfuls of dandelions. I'm happy to say the cats have not bothered this shelf, and so far, the lilacs have not caused too much sneezing. (Bill is allergic!) I then lit our tiny star candles, against the growing dark of May eve ... today I'll move them aside and we'll start adding found "spring treasures" to our shelf. 

And though it's a rather gloomy May Day here, Bill did not fail in his annual "task" of "washing my face with May Day dew." He's done this every year we've been married! There is a legend that a maiden who cleanses her face with May Day morning dew will keep a youthful complexion all her life. Or something like that, lol. I'm not sure how well it's working, but to be honest that's kind of beside the point ... what's sweet is that my husband remembers to do this every year. ❤

So I wish you all a Happy May, and a Good Tuesday Morning as well. I'm off now to "face" the day - revitalized by morning dew - and a good, strong cup of coffee.

:)

Our Bake Sale for Autism Speaks!

Well, after much planning and plotting, the big day finally arrived ... and I'm very happy to report it was a HUGE success!

Not only did everything go smoothly (thanks to lots of kind people, and many helpful hands) but - more importantly - we raised over seven hundred dollars in donations!

($770.42 to be exact - and every cent goes to Autism Speaks!)

My homeschool group mamas (and kids) worked so hard, and so well together, to pull off this Bake Sale. It was not only successful, but it was a whole lot of fun!

Would you like to see a few pictures?

:)

Here I am with Crackerjack Friday night, working on posters ...

Next year I will have a "poster-and-sign-making day" so that we get all the kids involved in this part of the process. Not that I didn't enjoy making that poster (I had all those new markers to work with, after all) but this is something better left to the kids.

Here are the two tabletop signs ...

So bright and early Saturday morning we were up baking ... and packing ... and some folks were dropping off goodies for transport. Bill and the older boys headed to soccer, Nana arrived to hang out with Earlybird, and I ran out to pick up balloons (and a big ole iced coffee) ... and then it was on to the store!

Now, funny story (and I can call it funny now because it all turned out ok), but when I arrived at Stop & Shop, I first went to the Customer Service to "check in." I was told to do this way back last month when I confirmed our bake sale plans (date, time, etc.) with the store manager.

So the young lady at the customer service desk calls up the manager ... and then said manager comes out to greet me ... only he tells me, with a polite smile, that "he does not remember the bake sale of which I am speaking."

(This was me --> o.O <-- freaking out.)

Thankfully though, after chatting with me for a few minutes (and my reminding him of our phone calls, the letter he surely had on file, and the permit I had in hand) he said "he thought he recalled our previous conversation" and that it was "fine" for us to set up our bake sale on that day.

Yikes!

(Note for next year: Get manager approval in writing *and* call a few days ahead to re-confirm!)

Anyhoo ... once my panic subsided, I headed over to the vestibule to meet up with my friends and get started on assembling our corner. We set up our two six-foot tables off to one side of the vestibule. 

We had blue tablecloths and balloons, assorted trays and baskets and little blue "place cards" for all the goodies. And by noon, we were ready to go!

The kids really enjoyed calling attention to our Sale ... 

I think those bright smiling faces brought in a LOT of donations!

Our signs ...

... and the sale tables, filled with all kinds of goodies:

We did this sale a little differently than a traditional bake sale. Instead of pricing our goodies, we just asked for donations and offered treats as our "thanks." All donations were welcome, because every little bit helps! So someone could decide how much to give and how much to take. And in almost every case people were so very generous - sometimes not even taking a treat!

As for treats, we had a really nice variety: loaf cakes, fruit breads, brownies, and cookies of all kinds ...

Rice krispy treats and cupcakes ...

... Italian biscotti ...

... chocolate peanut butter candies ...

... and adorable "cupcake cones!"

And about midway through our Sale we had a visit from Earlybird! After soccer, Bill (along with Bookworm and Crackerjack) picked up my mum and EB. They came over to see how the Bake Sale was going. :)

EB was a bit overwhelmed - it was a lot to take in, and this was not his usual Stop & Shop - but he was really excited to see us!

(After a while, Bill took Mum and the boys over to my brother's - where a construction project was underway - but he left Crackerjack behind to help me with the Sale.)

So two other little snafus to speak of ... the first was rather scary and the second was pretty funny (if not a little embarrassing).

Just about noontime, we were all standing about chatting and doing our bake sale thing, when all of a sudden alarms were sounding and the manager was running into the vestibule, shouting and chasing after this guy ... who, come to find out, was a THIEF!

Apparently he and his girlfriend "accomplice" (waiting for him in a getaway car) had some kind of scam going on, but apparently not a very slick one, because the manager figured out what was up. So the thief ran - but not before leading the manager on a chase (including a throwdown!) around the vestibule - right in front of us, and through crowds of shoppers including our own children holding those signs!

So yeah, that was a bit of a story. (Bonnie and Clyde got away, by the way.)

The other thing that happened, about a half an hour before the end of our sale ...

Some of our balloons got sucked up into the ceiling fan!

And ooh, it made such an awful racket ... and it just got worse ... very embarrassing ... so I had to go tell someone (apologize, really). The Stop & Shop people let it slide, lol - the had bigger fish to fry at the moment. (I figured since we put up with their robbery debacle, we could call it all even.)

So by 4 p.m. our Bake Sale was done, and we were packed up and ready to go. All in all, it was a fantastic experience! In fact, I've already started a "file" for next year ...

I looked it over while I enjoyed my post-bake-sale breakfast.

:)

Well, folks ... I hope you enjoyed this (rather lengthy) look at our Bake Sale experience! I am so happy the day ran so smoothly - save for stray balloons and sneaky grocery thieves, lol. Most of all, I am thrilled we raised so much money for Autism Speaks, and I hope we might have raised some awareness as well.

Enjoy your Sunday evening, my friends ... thanks so much for stopping by ... I will see you all again sometime soon!

❤

I scream, you scream ...

We all scream (beg, plead, cajole) for ice cream!

Bill treated the boys to goodies from the ice cream truck this evening - their first of the season. They did quite a bit of yard work this afternoon so they absolutely deserved it! No begging, pleading or cajoling was necessary. ;)

I have to tell you, our ice cream truck man is the nicest man. In fact, he was the very same ice cream man I had when I was a little girl! (He's been serving our town for 36 years!) He's always so kind and he remembers the boys every year ... it must be the happiest job in the world, being an ice cream truck man. :)

Well, I hope you've all had a nice weekend ... I just wanted to stop in and share this little family moment with you all. (Though look at those boys - not quite so little anymore, are they?)

Good Night, my friends and God Bless ... See you again very soon!

❤

Happy 1st Birthday, Archie and Oliver!

Today our dear kitties turn ONE!

It's hard to believe they are no longer kittens, but now fully grown cats. (Or nearly fully grown ~ our vet tells us they still have a little growing to do.) And technically speaking, today may or may not be their actual birthday ... but we know they were born sometime in April. We adopted them last August 13th (on Crackerjack's birthday), so we felt April 13th was just about right. :)

So, yes ... Archibald Fred and Oliver James were born into a litter of nine. The kittens were found on a busy city street, with no mother (or owner) to be found. The lot of them were rescued and fostered for a few months before being put up for adoption through a local pet store. 

Meanwhile, we had just lost our Smokey in May, and by August we were really missing having cats in our house, so I started my "kitten research," scouring shelter and rescue league websites. I was keeping an eye out for orange kittens, as that's what we had our hearts set on. (Our previous cats were mostly black and white so we wanted very different cats this time around.)

Anyhoo ... I spotted these cute little fellas on a local pet savers website (their original names were "Jerry" and "Josh" if you can believe it!) and it was tentative love at first sight. I say tentative, because I didn't want to get our hopes up! (Kittens are adopted pretty quickly, sometimes too quickly for the website to keep up.) But as fortune would have it, they were still available by the time we got over to see them and then it really and truly WAS love at first sight.

:)

This was the first day we brought them home! They were so tiny!

They've always loved windows ...

And baskets ...

... and bags ...

... and just about anything else they can squeeze themselves into ...

Or get themselves into ...

And they've always been the best of friends.

(As only brothers can be.)

Moral of the story: Archie and Ollie are a big part of our family now, and we love them to bits!

Happy Birthday, my dear little fellas!

*

And yes ... as the boys just had me clarify ... we WILL be having cake today in the cats' honor. (I'm sure I'll be posting about that later.) :)

So have a great Friday, everyone ... enjoy your day and I will see you again soon.

❤

Spring Nature, Spring Books

Happy Wednesday, my friends! I hope your week's going well. :)

I put the learning room back together today - meaning, I moved out the "table for four" from Easter Sunday, and returned the loveseat to its rightful place. (Mama's reading chair, too.) It felt good to sweep up, sort out, and then settle things back where they belong. :)

The library corner needed to be set up again, so I retired the "March" books and set out the April nature-related books. Our theme this month is "our marvelous earth."

The books you see above are as follows:

Little Farm by the Sea

Grow It, Cook It

Wildlife Gardening

Recycle!

Compost!

Miss Rumphius

The Golden Guide to Endangered Animals

A Guide to Northeastern Butterflies

Respect the Earth Flashcards

Mother Earth's Children

The Nature Connection

First Nature Encylopedia

Whoever You Are

This Year's Garden

Wonders of Nature 

 Naturally Fun Parties for Kids (I just got this book the other day and Earlybird is enthralled! I can hardly get it back in "my" pile, lol.)

*

Now, yesterday we met up with some of our homeschooling friends and took our kids on an informal nature walk. ("Informal" in that, the parents walked and talked - the kids mostly ran ahead.) I provided a "scavenger" list of things for the kids to look for at this time of year, and I'd like to share it here with you all in case it might be something you can use. :)

Take a look around and see what you can find ... use all your senses to “Search for Spring!”

*

signs of nest building

buds

a spring flower

three shades of green

a fresh smell

mud

tracks in mud

a new bird sound

an early spring insect

a fiddlehead (young fern)

a migrant bird

an amphibian or reptile

earthworms

running, dripping or trickling water

a cold spot

a warm spot

something red

something yellow

something blue

something purple

something that has more than 3 colors

*

Have fun, and remember to be gentle with Nature!

I hope this list might inspire you and your kids to go outside and "search for spring." We had a lot of fun finding it for ourselves!

:)

Have a wonderful evening, my friends ... I will see you here again very soon!

Easter Sunday, 2012 ~ A Recap

 Hello, everyone ... and a Happy Easter to you!

I hope you all had a nice weekend, and a lovely holiday, as well. I thought you all might like to see some pictures from our Sunday?

(Now first ... please let me "warn" you ... this is an awfully long post. I know it might be a little "tmi" for some folks, but please keep in mind, I use this blog as a big family scrapbook and many years from now I'll be glad I captured every last detail!)

So ... away we go!

Well, Earlybird was up SUPER early (as usual) so we let him look through his basket provided he leave his brothers alone. Bill and I enjoyed our (strong) coffee while EB dove into his goodies ...

The Easter Bunny always brings EB a few candies he can have - natural/organic jelly beans and "safe" chocolate bunnies - but mostly special books and toys. Like a ruler of his own, a turtle bath sponge, a Lego to build, and brand spankin' new crayons. Thankfully, he never seems to miss all those extra candies his brothers get in their baskets. :)

Finally, around 6:30 we allowed EB to wake up his brothers ... and I just had to share this picture - fuzzy and dark thought it is - because it cracks me up! Two tousled bedheads, squinty eyes, folded arms ... a general air about them of, "Huh?"

EB, ever the master of ceremonies, was quite happy to welcome the boys to their baskets ...

The older boys also get candies from the Easter Bunny (of a more traditional sort) as well as a couple of magazines, a new sketchbook and maybe a Wii game.

Archie just sat back and observed ...

... most likely making mental notes for later.

And so the day began ...

Now, my mum and I started planning this dinner (this day) many weeks ago. And regular readers of my blog know this because I've talked about it quite a bit! We were expecting a party of 23 people in all, so that takes a lot of organization - particularly when it comes to food preparation and seating arrangements.

We'd be nowhere without our various lists ...

As much as I love the holidays - Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas - I almost love the "lead up" even more. Because I love the anticipation and I have such fun working with my mum putting this all together. I especially love how, as Mum and I work, I glean all these great tips and hints. Like how to care for Gram's silver, and what pans work best for what foods ... bits of information I know my mum gleaned from my gram. And I feel this is a way we keep her with us as we go along. ❤

So, in getting creative with seating, we transformed the learning room into a table for four:

Setting up a small table as a sideboard:

The dining room table can be expanded to eight, but we squeezed 10 chairs around it:

We set this table with some of my mum's "Blue Danube" china and two of my "English Countryside" plates. We also combined silverware sets ... but all the linen napkins once belonged to my grandmother.

And, finally, we had a table for six set up in the family room:

So where did that leave the other two guests? Why, that would be Bookworm and Crackerjack - who kindly agreed to sit up at the kitchen island all on their own.

Now, for a few lots more pictures from the dinner party itself ...

I know this punch looks like nothing special - indeed, the lighting is terrible in my "cocktail bar" (aka the china cupboard on any other day). But I promise you, it was delicious! It was quite a hit, and though the picture does not show it, the shade was the prettiest peachy-pink. It looked just like an Easter morning sunrise. :)

The punch recipe (which I found online) consisted of strawberries, pink lemonade, cold black tea and ginger ale ... and they tell me it was fantastic with a splash of coconut rum. ;)

(Added to my party notes for future gatherings ... a punch ladle!)

Here are two of my smiley guys ... Crackerjack and my brother, Matt.

And my lovely cousins, Kate and Kara with their handsome gentleman friends, Paul and Manuel.

(How time has flown ... I used to babysit these girls!)

It's hard to tell from this picture, but the two couples are playing table-top soccer. We moved the foozball table up from the playroom and onto the deck for the day. Here's a great big party/small house trick ... lure the guests outside, lol!

Here's my CJ setting up "lawn bowling" for the younger kids ...

We even had two little doggies attend our Easter party!

These pretty pups are "Lily" and "Sophie," who belong to my cousin Colin and his wife, Tina, who were on from New York. Though Archie and Oliver were "sequestered" for the day (in the older boys' bedroom), the dogs were kept outside in our fenced-in backyard. The house was already chaotic enough!

So, I have to show you this neat little thing ...

I saw this idea in a magazine ... you (meaning, Bill, who did this for me) simply cut a small purple cabbage in such a way it will hold a thick dip (in this case, spinach) and then arrange your fresh veggies all around it. Isn't it so springy?

Here's part of our Easter party ...

(From left to right): Kate and Paul, Uncle Karl, Grandma Barbara (Bill's mom), Bookworm, Kara, Auntie Marcia and Manuel.

And here's a few more ...

(L to R): My sweet sister-in-law Ami and her boyfriend, Eric, Bill's dad (aka Grandpa Bill) and finally, my Bill. :)

So we served cocktails and appetizers at 1:30 ... and in addition to the veggies and dip, there was artichoke dip with French bread, devlilled eggs (made by Bill's mom), assorted cheeses with crackers, grapes and apples ... and cheese straws and breadsticks served with pesto.

Dinner was ready about an hour later ... 

I use our L-shaped kitchen island for serving, "buffet style" at most of our gatherings. It's central and convenient as most of our house is open from room-to-room.

Our Easter Dinner Menu, 2012:

baked "honey" ham

roast turkey breast

potatoes au gratin

broccoli casserole

antipasto salad*

Annie's macaroni and cheese* - EB's one request, lol!

baked beans*

roasted spring vegetables

cranberry sauce

assorted mustards

Uncle Karl's Irish soda bread

assorted dinner rolls

(I put an * beside the things I made/prepared myself - everything else was contributed by somebody other than me.)

Here I am with my mum, who was keeping EB company while he "chilled" on the couch.

(EB's not always one for the dinner table. Not for long, anyways, lol.)

And here we have the "dining room" party, which included my dad in the bottom center, then, going counterclockwise: my (little) brother Matt, my cousin Caitlin, and my cousin Colin and his wife, Tina, as well as their two (adorable) little boys, Connor and Finn.

Oh my goodness, I have to show you this sweet little boy ... Finn is my first cousin's son, so I'm not sure if that makes him my second cousin (once removed)?

Whatever it makes him, he's such a dear little boy ...  and yes, the baby-lust was surging strong. ;)

So after a brief intermission, in which I had lots of help putting away the leftover food - I set Bill about making coffee, and we got desserts out on the buffet ...

Our Easter Sunday Desserts, 2012:

Auntie Marcia's butterscotch pudding

(served with whipped cream)

cream cheese-frosted vanilla "bird nest" cupcakes*

Guinness Cake*

rhubarb grunt*

Easter blondies*

assorted cookies and candies

freshly brewed coffee

(same * rules apply)

A few shots of the dessert buffet ...

After desserts there was an Easter egg hunt in the front yard!

Caitlin and Colin with Connor.

Crackerjack, Earlybird and Connor.

Dad and Auntie Marcia.

(As you can see, there's a lot of height in my family ... it just skipped me and my mum, lol.)

Earlybird, giving the thumbs up!

My three "Boston Boys" ...

... spending a special day with their "New York Cousins."

:)

So by sunset, the party was over and our guests had gone home ... the flowers had drooped and the flames had burned low ... another Easter Sunday was over ...

But a whole Easter season just begun!

Alleluia! 

In my heart, this is what Easter is all about: celebrating the LIFE and the LOVE with which we have been so richly blessed, and all the amazing things we get to enjoy simply because God is so GOOD ...

I thank Him for every year we're together.

❤

Well, my friends, I hope you have enjoyed this rather lengthy "peek" at our family's Easter celebration, and I thank you for sharing in our joy. I had such fun telling you all about it!

"A joy shared is a joy doubled." ~ Unknown

So have a good night, everyone ... I will see you again very soon!