28 November 2009
Fall Treats, Week 3
This time, we made owl cookies. These were really simple, and Will had tons of fun putting it all together.
Start with one pack of refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Add cocoa to 2/3 of it. Roll out the cocoa dough. Roll the sugar cookie dough into a tube and wrap with the cocoa dough. Refrigerate. Slice and put two cookies together to form eyes.
Add a cashew in the middle for the beak.
After the cookies are baked and cool, add drops of icing and stick M&M's in them for eyes. You could add eyelashes, but that proved a little beyond the skills of a toddler, so we left them.
Will had a blast making these (and licking the icing, eating the M&M's, which he calls "yummyums," etc.)
Start with one pack of refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Add cocoa to 2/3 of it. Roll out the cocoa dough. Roll the sugar cookie dough into a tube and wrap with the cocoa dough. Refrigerate. Slice and put two cookies together to form eyes.
Add a cashew in the middle for the beak.
After the cookies are baked and cool, add drops of icing and stick M&M's in them for eyes. You could add eyelashes, but that proved a little beyond the skills of a toddler, so we left them.
Will had a blast making these (and licking the icing, eating the M&M's, which he calls "yummyums," etc.)
Fall Treats, Week 2
Sorry - I got bogged down in school stuff/pregnancy health concerns, and I haven't posted in a while.
Will and I continued our fall treats tradition the next couple of weeks. First up was a peanut butter bar that looked amazing but was so sweet and rich that we couldn't eat them. Rolf ended up taking them to work. They were still fun to make, though.
The middle was essentially a rice krispie treat batter without the rice krispies - marshmallows, butter, and...
...sweetened condensed milk (no wonder they were too sweet!).
Mommy pulled her hair back, so naturally, Will had to do likewise.
The finished product. It's a layer of peanut butter cookie, filled with a marshmallow/condensed milk/butter/peanut butter layer, and topped with more peanuts. Dang. Not one we'll try again, although they tasted pretty good.
Will and I continued our fall treats tradition the next couple of weeks. First up was a peanut butter bar that looked amazing but was so sweet and rich that we couldn't eat them. Rolf ended up taking them to work. They were still fun to make, though.
The middle was essentially a rice krispie treat batter without the rice krispies - marshmallows, butter, and...
...sweetened condensed milk (no wonder they were too sweet!).
Mommy pulled her hair back, so naturally, Will had to do likewise.
The finished product. It's a layer of peanut butter cookie, filled with a marshmallow/condensed milk/butter/peanut butter layer, and topped with more peanuts. Dang. Not one we'll try again, although they tasted pretty good.
02 November 2009
Fall Treats, Week 1
I fully intended to work some sort of Fall/Halloween-themed craft with William each weekend leading up to the 31st. Life and other things got in the way, so we didn't really get anything done.
I have resolved the weekends between now and Christmas will be different, however. I have downloaded several fun recipes, and my little baker and I will be posting something each week that we have worked on together. I really want to make sure we get in as much one-on-one time as we can before he has to share Mommy and Daddy with a little sibling.
Our first fall treat was an interesting little cookie the authors of the recipe call "Aut-yum Leaves." It's very semi-homemade, which is a good idea when you're baking with an impatient toddler.
I didn't get any pictures of cutting out the pie crust. We were working so hard at maximizing the pre-made rounds that we forgot.
After we cut the leaf shapes out, Will added a mixture of peanut butter and chocolate chips to the middle of each.
He then brushed the edges of each one with egg wash. I pressed the top layer of leaves on, and Will gave them each a final bath of egg wash.
The recipe called for raw sugar. We were out, so we used colored orange decorator's sugar instead. It gave them a bit of fall flair.
When the cookies were nice and brown, we took them out of the oven and let them cool.
A close-up of Will's handiwork.
Contrary to the look on his face, he loved them! He got home from school today and immediately asked for one.
These are pretty good little cookies. They taste like little mini-pies. I might try them again someday with a bigger cutout shape and a fruity pie filling or something similar.
Tune in again next week for another adventure in the kitchen with my li'l' chef.
I have resolved the weekends between now and Christmas will be different, however. I have downloaded several fun recipes, and my little baker and I will be posting something each week that we have worked on together. I really want to make sure we get in as much one-on-one time as we can before he has to share Mommy and Daddy with a little sibling.
Our first fall treat was an interesting little cookie the authors of the recipe call "Aut-yum Leaves." It's very semi-homemade, which is a good idea when you're baking with an impatient toddler.
I didn't get any pictures of cutting out the pie crust. We were working so hard at maximizing the pre-made rounds that we forgot.
After we cut the leaf shapes out, Will added a mixture of peanut butter and chocolate chips to the middle of each.
He then brushed the edges of each one with egg wash. I pressed the top layer of leaves on, and Will gave them each a final bath of egg wash.
The recipe called for raw sugar. We were out, so we used colored orange decorator's sugar instead. It gave them a bit of fall flair.
When the cookies were nice and brown, we took them out of the oven and let them cool.
A close-up of Will's handiwork.
Contrary to the look on his face, he loved them! He got home from school today and immediately asked for one.
These are pretty good little cookies. They taste like little mini-pies. I might try them again someday with a bigger cutout shape and a fruity pie filling or something similar.
Tune in again next week for another adventure in the kitchen with my li'l' chef.
25 October 2009
Fall Festival
I went on a field trip to Ft. Worth with my Aca Deca kiddos yesterday morning, and Will and Daddy stayed home and played HARD. By the time I got home at 5:15, Will was completely conked out. We had to wake him up, though, because my school's fall festival was last night. Roused my sleepy boy, got him dressed (with major protest) in his costume, and drove to Grandma and Granddad's for dinner before we all headed over to the carnival.
We had gone to the carnival last year, but this year, Will wasn't so sure about it. He moped around for a while before he finally decided he was having fun. By the time we were ready to leave, Will wasn't. He was only consoled by the prospect of cake and ice cream back at Grandma's.
Here are some pictures from the night:
My little firefighter in front of the school bus
He played "Pin the Bowtie on the Ghost" - no blindfold for the little guys!
Will is still not so sure about the carnival at this point
That changed when he threw a strike in bowling and got to pick three pieces of candy for himself
We ran into Will's friend Jack while we were there. They refused to pose together.
Will took the longest turn at ring toss EVAR.
Walking back out to the car with Grandma and Grandad. He had a blast (and slept late on Sunday to boot!)
We had gone to the carnival last year, but this year, Will wasn't so sure about it. He moped around for a while before he finally decided he was having fun. By the time we were ready to leave, Will wasn't. He was only consoled by the prospect of cake and ice cream back at Grandma's.
Here are some pictures from the night:
My little firefighter in front of the school bus
He played "Pin the Bowtie on the Ghost" - no blindfold for the little guys!
Will is still not so sure about the carnival at this point
That changed when he threw a strike in bowling and got to pick three pieces of candy for himself
We ran into Will's friend Jack while we were there. They refused to pose together.
Will took the longest turn at ring toss EVAR.
Walking back out to the car with Grandma and Grandad. He had a blast (and slept late on Sunday to boot!)
18 October 2009
Apple Cake
Will has turned into quite the baker. This morning, he helped me make pancakes for breakfast, and this evening, he helped me bake a cake from my great-grandmother's recipe.
My parents went on vacation through New England, and on the way back through Virginia, they stopped at an apple orchard. We have more apples than we'll eat, so I dug through my recipe box, found this old recipe my mom had written down for me, and we got to work. My mom hasn't even made this cake before, so chances are, this was the first time in fifty years or so anyone has made it.
I didn't get any pictures of the prep because I was too busy keeping Will's fingers away from my knife, but here is the finished result:
Lovely chunks of apple throughout
Will's first tentative taste
Hey, Mikey - he likes it!
A thumbs up from the master baker
For those of you interested, here's the recipe
Grandma Gill's Fresh Apple Cake
4 c. chopped, peeled cooking apples (I used Golden Delicious)
2 c. sugar
Mix in a large bowl and let stand.
After 15 minutes, add
1 c. oil
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. pecans, if desired (we omitted these)
Bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 350 degrees from 1 hr, 15 minutes (I think it could have come out 5 minutes earlier and been fine)
Good recipe, although as we sampled it, we started trying to think of variations on it - brown sugar vs. white, caramelized apples, adding other fruit (cherries, maybe?), etc.
My parents went on vacation through New England, and on the way back through Virginia, they stopped at an apple orchard. We have more apples than we'll eat, so I dug through my recipe box, found this old recipe my mom had written down for me, and we got to work. My mom hasn't even made this cake before, so chances are, this was the first time in fifty years or so anyone has made it.
I didn't get any pictures of the prep because I was too busy keeping Will's fingers away from my knife, but here is the finished result:
Lovely chunks of apple throughout
Will's first tentative taste
Hey, Mikey - he likes it!
A thumbs up from the master baker
For those of you interested, here's the recipe
Grandma Gill's Fresh Apple Cake
4 c. chopped, peeled cooking apples (I used Golden Delicious)
2 c. sugar
Mix in a large bowl and let stand.
After 15 minutes, add
1 c. oil
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. pecans, if desired (we omitted these)
Bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 350 degrees from 1 hr, 15 minutes (I think it could have come out 5 minutes earlier and been fine)
Good recipe, although as we sampled it, we started trying to think of variations on it - brown sugar vs. white, caramelized apples, adding other fruit (cherries, maybe?), etc.
06 September 2009
Alphabet
Sorry about the orientation and the audio - our camera does that gargly thing sometimes. I love the soul he puts into "Q R ESSSS," though, so I had to post it anyway.
Butterfly in the Sky...
Will LOVES Reading Rainbow. Here is our tribute to the fallen show. It will be missed.
30 August 2009
Say Cheese!
Will still refuses to eat meat. Once in a blue moon, we can get him to eat chicken nuggets, but that's a miracle. I think the kid would subsist entirely on macaroni and cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches, if we let him. Fortunately, he'll eat beans and eggs, so we know he's getting protein. I can sometimes sneak in hamburger pizza, too. He is so excited he's eating pizza that he plows through without noticing the hamburger on it.
A few pictures of Will enjoying his favorite meal. Say cheese!
A few pictures of Will enjoying his favorite meal. Say cheese!
Long Overdue Summer Update, Part 2
No Potty!
I taught summer school this summer, so Will was able to spend a lot of time with his Grandma and Grandad while Mommy was at school. He had a blast! I swear, he grew an inch and a half this summer (I have measured him at 36 1/2"), his vocabulary just exploded, and he is sooo close to being potty-trained. I tried the three day naked from the waist down training, and we thought we were almost there, but since school has started back up, he has had some problems backsliding. I think it's the emotional adjustment to being back in daycare all day that's got him refusing to go. He will still go if forced, and he will still tell us if he needs to go if we're in public, but at home, it's "No!" Sigh. He'll get there soon enough. The new teacher in his room at daycare is supposed to be really good at potty training, so I hope with her reinforcement at school, he'll be good to go really soon.
Long Overdue Summer Update, Part 1
Sorry about the long hiatus in posting. Will got to visit with his Grandma and Papa from Missouri in July. They came down to visit, and we took a few days to explore Central Texas and the Hill Country. The last page of the scrapbook below is comprised of pictures all taken by Will.
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| Make a Smilebox scrapbook |
29 August 2009
WE got lost in the land of social networking (facebook)
Will is still here and so are his parents. there will be pics and updates either tonight or tomorrow.
09 July 2009
Happy Birthday to You!
Will loves to wish you a happy birthday. We think he had such a good time at his birthday celebrations that he wants to spread the joy year-round. :-)
I FINALLY caught him on camera singing. He only sings a couple of lines, but it's better than nothing.
I FINALLY caught him on camera singing. He only sings a couple of lines, but it's better than nothing.
21 June 2009
Hot Fun in the Summertime...
Yesterday, we filled up Will's little turtle pool we got him last year so he could play in the water. As you can see, he had a grand old time splashing, getting splashed, and throwing the beach ball around.
Will had on his water socks. He wasn't so sure of the water at first.
He and Daddy played catch with the ball.
Plop!
Daddy poured water on his head.
My goodness, he looks 7 in this picture.
Then we read the paper and saw the Target ad (insert angelic singing voices here). They have a 9 1/2' x 6' pool (inflatable), for $14.99! We ran out as soon as we were all up and clean this morning and got one. This pool, while not super huge, is plenty big for all of us to sit in and play. Will and Daddy had a great time with the water (which we were able to get about 8-10" deep). Will stayed in until he turned blue from the cold, then threw a fit when we made him get out.
Daddy splashes Will...
Will splashes Daddy...
Then they chill together in the new pool.
In other news, Will has begun to pee in the potty much more regularly. He will also announce it loudly and proudly, whether we're in public or not. Good thing I'm not easily embarrassed. We always high five him and give him a good little celebration when he tells one of us, "I PEE-PEED IN POTTY!" If strangers don't like it, screw them. Most have been very nice and smiled appreciatively when they hear our son's bathroom behavior.
Will had on his water socks. He wasn't so sure of the water at first.
He and Daddy played catch with the ball.
Plop!
Daddy poured water on his head.
My goodness, he looks 7 in this picture.
Then we read the paper and saw the Target ad (insert angelic singing voices here). They have a 9 1/2' x 6' pool (inflatable), for $14.99! We ran out as soon as we were all up and clean this morning and got one. This pool, while not super huge, is plenty big for all of us to sit in and play. Will and Daddy had a great time with the water (which we were able to get about 8-10" deep). Will stayed in until he turned blue from the cold, then threw a fit when we made him get out.
Daddy splashes Will...
Will splashes Daddy...
Then they chill together in the new pool.
In other news, Will has begun to pee in the potty much more regularly. He will also announce it loudly and proudly, whether we're in public or not. Good thing I'm not easily embarrassed. We always high five him and give him a good little celebration when he tells one of us, "I PEE-PEED IN POTTY!" If strangers don't like it, screw them. Most have been very nice and smiled appreciatively when they hear our son's bathroom behavior.
30 May 2009
Let's Get Physical
Will is always fascinated by my workouts as he walks from his bath to his room at nights. This particular night, I started the DVD before he got into the bathtub, which meant that Will got first crack at it. He certainly seemed to handle Jillian Michaels just fine!
19 May 2009
Birthday Party with Friends
Saturday, May 16, Will had a little party with his friends, ranging in age from 4 months to 3 years. We all had a good time. Will was a little worn out at the end because he refused to nap on Saturday, but he loved playing with his friends and opening more presents. He blew out his candles so quickly, I couldn't get a picture of it. Here are some other pictures from the day:
Jack on Will's Retro Rocket. Last year, on Will's first birthday, neither boy could sit on it. Now, they both ride with ease.
Miss Janie on the same Retro Rocket. She didn't like the noise the green button made, but she loved being a big girl up on the rocket!
Silly William being hung upside down by his mommy.
Emily, the youngest guest, and her daddy.
Since Will's big boy room is rockets and stars, we had to have star cakes. I made one especially for each kid over 6 months old with his/her initial on it.
Apparently, Jack did something to crack his mom and dad up. Not hard - Jack's a funny boy!
Brenden and his mommy, Maggie.
Two wild boys playing with balls from Will's ball pit. They were having a contest to see who could pelt the parent looking from the kitchen the hardest.
I think all the kids had a good time. Will got some cool presents, including a Handy Manny toolbox that he has not stopped playing with since Saturday. If one of the tools is missing, he'll ask, "Where's Squeeze?" or "Where's Turner?" until he finds them. He also got a cool bubble gun, some more fun art supplies (paint - hooray!), and a ball and bat that he can't wait to try out - outside. :-)
Will is definitely a loved little boy.
P.S. I do have to say, Will picked his outfit for the day. I offered a soccer ball shirt and a bug shirt, but he said, "No. This shirt." and picked out the Beatles tee.
Jack on Will's Retro Rocket. Last year, on Will's first birthday, neither boy could sit on it. Now, they both ride with ease.
Miss Janie on the same Retro Rocket. She didn't like the noise the green button made, but she loved being a big girl up on the rocket!
Silly William being hung upside down by his mommy.
Emily, the youngest guest, and her daddy.
Since Will's big boy room is rockets and stars, we had to have star cakes. I made one especially for each kid over 6 months old with his/her initial on it.
Apparently, Jack did something to crack his mom and dad up. Not hard - Jack's a funny boy!
Brenden and his mommy, Maggie.
Two wild boys playing with balls from Will's ball pit. They were having a contest to see who could pelt the parent looking from the kitchen the hardest.
I think all the kids had a good time. Will got some cool presents, including a Handy Manny toolbox that he has not stopped playing with since Saturday. If one of the tools is missing, he'll ask, "Where's Squeeze?" or "Where's Turner?" until he finds them. He also got a cool bubble gun, some more fun art supplies (paint - hooray!), and a ball and bat that he can't wait to try out - outside. :-)
Will is definitely a loved little boy.
P.S. I do have to say, Will picked his outfit for the day. I offered a soccer ball shirt and a bug shirt, but he said, "No. This shirt." and picked out the Beatles tee.
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