Bunny Cake

We made this cake for Easter every year when I was younger...the best part was eating the licorice whips, a treat we didn't have very often. So imagine my surprise when I saw the recipe for it on the Kraft Food & Family website while trying to figure out something for dinner (we ended up with leftovers...sigh.) Except we didn't use strawberry Cool Whip or coconut. Just fluffy white frosting--and plenty of it. :)

Parker might get a kick out of this. He seems to like cooking so far and doesn't burn things nearly as bad as his momma.

Big day in Moresville!

pre- post p.s. I think this post definitely solidifies my position as a total "mommyblogger". Sheesh. Sorry in advance.


We're hitting the potty circuit slowly lately--we talk about it lots, go every so often--have been off & on since October, but the past couple of weeks Parker seems more into it. So we've been encouraging him more, enticing him with feed for his piggy bank and the excitement of wearing Pull-Ups. (in our house...it's a BIG deal.)
















This morning we had not only a #1 in the potty...but a #2! (No photo. Sorry if you were expecting one.) Parker was a little shocked when he started going and got the "uh-oh" look about him and realized what was happening. But he was very pleased and happy with himself after the fact--and we went and had chicken nuggets for lunch to celebrate.


YAY little man!!

So wrong in soooo many ways

Just checked the calendar. It's March 28. You hear me? MARCH 28. This kind of weather would be typical in our old stomping grounds at 5342', but not here. But our friends to the west just couldn't help sharing their snow. Gee--thanks!!



Had it not been for this handy, helpful tool, I would have been out there for much longer, and would be pumping several more milligrams of anti-inflammatories to numb my muscles. If you don't have one...WELL worth it.


It's the really wet, heavy, sloppy kind of snow good for snowballs and snowmen, and stings when you're the target! We may have to let Parker have a hurrah in it this afternoon.

I had bought and planted several pots of frost-hardy, and hopefully snow-hardy, pansies last weekend. Poor little fellas.


Even the neighbor's Jesus and Mary can't believe their eyes.


Pretty as it might be, I'm happy that tomorrow should be warmer.

I like Ike

Despite my loathing of politics, especially presidential politics, I can't help but admire some of the figures who have shaped our nation throughout its history and worked to give us the opportunities we have today. Since the Eisenhower presidential library, museum and childhood home isn't far from here we went to visit last weekend.


Parker called him "the man".


President Eisenhower, his wife, and their son are all buried on the site, in a beautiful place of meditation and thought. Even Parker was very quiet while we were in here, both of us mesmerized by the colorful glass and trickling water from a nearby fountain.


Parker also liked walking in circles around the Presidential Seal. Round and round and round he goes...

The Eisenhower presidential campaign was one of the first to employ a true slogan, and so many buttons and memorabilia were part of its impact. Note that there's one in there that said "vote for a change"...and was a theme of Obama's recent campaign over fifty years later.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Crispy chicken goodness. Light and flaky biscuits so delish I swear my grandma was in the kitchen. Even Parker (gasp!) couldn't get enough of the just-right mashed potatoes. Yup, it's a good visit to the Brookville Hotel for their famous chicken dinners. We took a little drive with our weekend guests and enjoyed some home cookin'.



p.s. We got to talking about the post title during said visit. The most agreed-on definition from Urbandictionary.com says The legend tells that years ago every casino in Las Vegas had a three-piece chicken dinner with a potato and a veggie for $1.79. A standard bet back then was $2, hence when you won a bet you had enough for a chicken dinner. Anyone know? Agree with this one?

Hail, Hail Part Deux

Thanks, daddy, for the video, and Miss Ella Fitzgerald for one of my favorite songs. This is the backyard during last night's fury. And today is sunny, yet crisp and c-c-c-old.

Hail, Hail, The Storms are Here.

We have had an exciting last few days. Visitors from the north, days outside, lots of fun. Lots of photos and stories to post...will make for a good blogging week.

The winds of change are definitely blowing, and Old Man Winter tends to go out with a bang in these parts. Literally. After a really windy (65+ MPH) day we came home to a very messy backyard. You can see the upside down table in the back of the photo:


Yup, that's daddy with the shop-vac in the grass. Our patio table blew over--umbrella and all. Somehow the umbrella isn't hurt but the glass top to the table is toast. And love that tempered glass—now there are a bazillion little pieces in Parker's favorite golfing spot.

Clouds loomed overhead with the threat of another tantrum.



And it wasn't long before the backyard went from fun play area to swampy wetland. There is video of this...will share later.

Then there was hail. LOTS of hail.


Back door


Front door


Just-emerging daylilies

But the pansies we planted on Saturday are OK, cute and sunny.


Parker wanted to help shomel.


And get the ark ready...it's STILL raining.

The Madness of March is upon us

The brackets--both men's and women's, we are equal opportunity--are on the fridge and the whistle is about to blow. Something about all the excitement is fun, even though I'm not as religious a follower as some of the other (ahem) Moresville residents.

Heard even the big man got into the fun. I think the scribbles and indecisiveness of determining the national champ is notable--I sure hope he isn't as wavering in his next political move.

Rawr, Little Tiger

Ever since our move back toward the eastern direction, we've been spending a fair amount of time in the driveway playing "Parker golf". I didn't like the grass in our yard (too crispy last summer in the hot middle-America sun) and our game more resembled a version of street hockey anyway, swatting a mini basketball back and forth with a ten-dollar macaroni and cheese set of clubs.

The last plastic club finally gasped a dying breath over the weekend, when the handle snapped off his favorite one. And now that he insists on playing with a real golf ball, we figured another macaroni and cheese set might not last. So daddy M bought little P his first real club.



He and Parker have been sharing some serious quality time learning how to hit the ball just right. And he beams with accomplishment after launching it just so.

Not just in it to win it.

Ran the St. Pat's Day race this afternoon and had a great time. Of course on St Pat's you see everything, from crazy costumes to the woman behind me who ran the entire race in heels (as part of a bet). It was a great day to be out and fun to participate...makes me look forward to the next (TBD) race. And of course there was much merriment afterward. :)

Playing outside

We got rain on and off today and it didn't slow down the little man. He didn't seem to mind playing in a bucket of wet sand and dirt to make castles: the more he can "shomel", the better. He is loving the extra hour to play outside. Can't say I blame him.

I got some new Photoshop actions (whee!) to add some cool effects in post-processing, so I was tinkering around with them this evening. I love how vintage and timeless this one is, like photos of my sibs and I when we were little.

Growth Spurt 09

Little man is growing like a weed. For the last couple of weeks he's eaten like a champ...I swear he's hollowed out a leg. Three bowls of cereal for breakfast, an extra helping at dinner—he's a hungry kid. And all of a sudden his pants seem a little, well, flood-worthy. ;) So this afternoon we did a quick once-over on the winter clothes and boxed up more goodies for eBay and the consignment store.

Here's the vital stats:
29 lbs.
35 1/4" tall
shoe size...8. Yup, this kid has BIG paws.

Digging the super-cute growth chart from Etsy... The one we have currently doesn't do Parker justice. :)

Dublin Glasses

We still have some remnants of "early-college" decorating, and with our downsize this past year I've been doing lots of cleaning, paring down and donating. And with the downsizing has come a little replacing, too.

We replaced our infamous Great Plains cups (*sniff*) with these beauties from Crate & Barrel a while back, but didn't have any of the smaller tumbler size. And every once in a while you just need a little sip, you know? No need to pull out a gigantic glass, and I wouldn't be caught dead swigging from the OJ container. Gasp!

Daddy surprised me a couple of weeks ago with a lovely set of four, and I can't get over how much I love their weighty, substantial feel.

Putting on the Glitz

So remember the dress dilemma? The big party it was for was this past weekend with our KC BFF's, and boy, did we have a great time. And we helped raise $ for student scholarships. (Bonus!)

I love how the divine Miss M totally channeled her inner Carrie Bradshaw, as she put it--and we all looked pretty sharp, if I do say so...


And a cute shot of the Moresville "elders". Ahem.

I don't mean to get all smooshy, but I can't remember the last time I felt so sassy. It was a perfect night, lots of fun with old and new friends.

Dreamy

I'm loving this newly-discovered work by photog Tricia McKellar. The flower photographs are so dreamy and minimal but are such a fresh breath of spring, and I love the just-enough vintage feel to all her work. So nicely done and super affordable. Check out her Etsy shop here.

Ruh-roah, George

Awww, nuts!

This was bound to happen soon...