To all the people we love who are still shoveling their driveways...

Our lemon tree wanted me to give you this postcard.

It's all right...right?

It's all right that I let London call these gummi peach ring candies "fruit snacks", right? Even though it states above the list of ingredients: "Does not contain fruit juice". It's all right, right?

And while we're at it, I haven't ever corrected her when she calls them "hickey ups" (hiccups) either. And Porter still says "MickleDonalds" (McDonald's) because that's just too awesome to change. They have their whole lives to say things like everyone else, until then I'm in no hurry to make corrections.

It's all right that I keep the vintage TV in the family room for the kids and put the ultra cool flat screen in my room, right? It's also all right that I call this dinosaur TV "vintage", right?

(Can you tell TV isn't tops on our list of priorities? And I know that's all right.)

It's all right that I let my kids take turns trying to pull out my crazy neck hair, right? They think it's pretty amazing. I think that I'm two hairs short of growing me a braid and joining the circus as the bearded-neck lady. I might as well capitalize on my freakiness, right?

Three Months

She sleeps through the night.

She snorts when she laughs.

She smiles for strangers.

She sucks on her right hand.

She's got great curves.

She rolls over from her back to her tummy, but only from the right side.

She knows who her mommy is.

She's keeping those baby blues.

Flashback Friday: Coco Buns

Yesterday I geared up to make some cinnamon rolls because it was a home-made-something kind of day. Flashing back today to my cinnamon roll recipe. Well, I've been running the idea of using instant chocolate pudding instead, since sometimes I change it up and use instant lemon pudding for my lemon buns. I finally put my theory to the test and it was one chocolaty sweet success. (Be warned, this one will surely throw the best new year's resolution to eat better out the window.)

Reviews from my in-house food critics:

Olen: "Something's off. Maybe with a little tweaking they would be perfect."

Me: "And that's why you're eating another one. Want more milk with that?"

Olen: "Um, yes. More milk would be good."

Me: "Uh-huh..."

Porter - (After one bite.) "Mom, these are like something you would eat with ice cream. Or maybe without all the frosting."

(But this is from my hates-all-candy-and-sweets-except-for-Snickers kid, so I'm not surprised.)

London: "I want two!!!"

Here's the change-up:

Follow the cinnamon roll recipe found here and substitute instant chocolate pudding when called for vanilla and omit the cinnamon. That's it.

For the frosting I used a sour cream semi-sweet chocolate recipe that I'm still working on. I should have written down exact measurements but I usually end up estimating anyways. Here's how it went and you can adjust as needed.

1/2 c butter, softened (salted or unsalted just NOT margarine)
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (by microwave or double burner)

3 heaping tablespoons of sour cream (by "heaping" I mean imagine it's 1986 and you're swirling a palm full of mousse into your hand. Use that much.)

Enough powdered sugar to make the frosting as thick as you would like.

The chocolate chips are pretty rich so taste as you go, especially if sour cream frosting isn't really your cup of tea.

To me these taste like a distant cousin to a chocolate glazed cake donut. I love chocolate glazed cake donuts, actually they are my favorite. I had to give some away because I have no self control when it comes to chocolate bread rolled with butter and brown sugar covered in frosting.

If you try this recipe, will you let me know what you think? I want them to be perfect and I've been told they need a little tweaking first.

Good Word Wednesday: Eat my dust 2009

We just needed to catch our breaths a little after ending the year of 2009. What a year; a move, a baby, a crazy time. Now that we are almost half-way into January, I think I am ready to extend a hopeful hand of friendship to the new year of 2010.

I asked the members of our little family (that can talk) if they had a favorite event of this past year. Here's what they told me:

London's favorite event of 2009 was her birthday. This is no surprise because it's her favorite daily topic. If you were to stop by our house she would quickly scribble you an invitation to her birthday party this coming May. She has it all planned out; we are to have a pinata, candy, cake, party hats and presents (of course). Every night she gets out of bed at least twice to ask me how far away her birthday party is. Every night I give the same answer, "Not tonight. Hop back to bed." But I secretly love that she loves to party plan. She is so my own.

Porter's favorite event was the summer of 2009. "Anything in particular?", I asked. "The whole time we lived with Grandma and Grandpa and had the cousins over all the time." Port just loves a good party, and that was usually what a visit from the cousins or Aunt Arlissa turned into. I bet Porter will have a dozen kids when he is married. Well, I hope he will because I plan on being one amazing Grandmolly.

My favorite

part of 2009 was the month before I was pregnant and the two months after I was pregnant. The nine months in between, not so much my favorite.

Olen's favorite event of 2009 is my most very favorite, too. Daisy. This little smooshie dimpled delivery made the year of 2009 a year of only good memories and happiness. We had an empty spot waiting for her to fill and now everything feels just so right.

Okay 2010, 2009 threw some curve balls, but I'm sure you'll play nice, won't 'cha. We're bringing our A-game so hope you got yours. Play ball.

Hi, sorry we missed you.

We're not home right now because 2009 fried our brains.

Leave a message at the beep and we'll call you next week.

beep.

May 2010 be the New Year you want it to be.