Maybe some of you don't think about it because you hit the big 3-0 years ago. But, I'm the baby of the family so the idea of "the baby" being 30... (I'm at a loss for words)
At least I don't have to celebrate it alone! Happy Birthday Andy! Can't remember the last time us twins were able to celebrate together.
FYI: I'm still "the baby"...by 8 minutes
Welcome to our busy, happy, hopeful, crazy lives
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Indoor water play
This week Robyn learned how to use the squirt bottle--a popular piece of equipment in our home. We use it every morning to pull her hair back. She's gotten quite used to it and thought it was time to figure it out herself.
However, she insists on squirting herself...right in the face. Must be absolutely fun because she laughs every time she does it. It's kind of a "hit and miss" activity for her. Since she' still figuring out how to control the handle sometimes water comes out and sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't she throws a fit. When it does--life is perfect!
Course, she was soaking wet by the time I finally took it from her. Not looking forward to the day when she figures out how to squirt other people.
(If you really want to see the detail in the first picture, click on it. I didn't even realize I had captured a picture of her actually squirting herself!)
However, she insists on squirting herself...right in the face. Must be absolutely fun because she laughs every time she does it. It's kind of a "hit and miss" activity for her. Since she' still figuring out how to control the handle sometimes water comes out and sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't she throws a fit. When it does--life is perfect!
Course, she was soaking wet by the time I finally took it from her. Not looking forward to the day when she figures out how to squirt other people.
(If you really want to see the detail in the first picture, click on it. I didn't even realize I had captured a picture of her actually squirting herself!)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Now, let's get crackin'
I found my trusty nutcracker!
Honestly, I didn't know I actually owned one. I just found it at the back of my utensil drawer when I was looking for something else! What a way to start my day!
Honestly, I didn't know I actually owned one. I just found it at the back of my utensil drawer when I was looking for something else! What a way to start my day!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Ah, nuts!
Over the holidays, I realized how much I love to shell nuts. I could sit at my mother's dining table for hours taking that nutcracker to those shelled nuts and eating the treasure inside. It's a bit like eating crab: cracking the shells just right with all the power you have in you...just to get out the little bit of protein left for you to meticulously pull out. News flash--crab is much easier!!
Much of the time my walnuts would be all smashed inside (thanks to my aggressively brilliant nutcracking abilities) and you end up picking out the pieces bit by bit. Or, you crack and smash a walnut only to find that the nut is rotten. Then, all that work only leaves you with a pile of dust. Mmmm.... oh well--you just move on to the next nut. My mother did warn me that some of her nuts were rather old (we won't say how old...don't think she knew). I have yet to master the nutcracking technique so my walnuts come out looking like the ones you see packaged in the store.
Then there's your Brazilian nuts. The nut is so big, the shell is so thin--and they do not want to come apart. You end up "peeling" the shell like it's a boiled egg. After a few attempts, I gave up on those. Not a big fan of them anyway (my dad got all of my Brazilian nuts that I successfully shelled and that wasn't many).
I also learned this holiday season that I really don't like Pecans. I've tried honey toasted pecans, roasted salted pecans, pecan pie --just about every way you could prepare a pecan--even chocolate covered pecans! Doesn't chocolate make anything taste good!? I was hoping that there was some way that I could like this wonderful nut. Nope. I couldn't stand any of it. Knowing this I skipped over the shelled pecans in the bowl for a while. But, I finally cracked one open--rather delicately--and popped it in my mouth. It's settled now. The only way I like pecans is right of the shell...literally.
Peanuts are not even in my pile...they really do belong in the peanut gallery. I don't care for them raw, salted, roasted or fresh out of the shell (but I will eat them with chocolate). When compared with the other nut friends, they are just....BLAH! And frankly, they're too easy to shell. You don't even need a nutcracker to tears those apart. What is up with that??
My favorite nuts to eat and shell are almonds and hazelnuts. While cashews are my all-time favorite nut--you can't get those shelled. It's not your typical nutshell and it's toxic so I guess I can live without getting them in their organic form.
After making all these discoveries I decided to get my own collection of shelled nuts. Unfortunately, the mixes you find in the store are rather sparse and don't include every shelled nut. But, I do have a nice basketful to get me started! Couldn't wait to dig in and get crackin'...
There's just one problem. I don't own a nutcracker.
Nuts!
Much of the time my walnuts would be all smashed inside (thanks to my aggressively brilliant nutcracking abilities) and you end up picking out the pieces bit by bit. Or, you crack and smash a walnut only to find that the nut is rotten. Then, all that work only leaves you with a pile of dust. Mmmm.... oh well--you just move on to the next nut. My mother did warn me that some of her nuts were rather old (we won't say how old...don't think she knew). I have yet to master the nutcracking technique so my walnuts come out looking like the ones you see packaged in the store.
Then there's your Brazilian nuts. The nut is so big, the shell is so thin--and they do not want to come apart. You end up "peeling" the shell like it's a boiled egg. After a few attempts, I gave up on those. Not a big fan of them anyway (my dad got all of my Brazilian nuts that I successfully shelled and that wasn't many).
I also learned this holiday season that I really don't like Pecans. I've tried honey toasted pecans, roasted salted pecans, pecan pie --just about every way you could prepare a pecan--even chocolate covered pecans! Doesn't chocolate make anything taste good!? I was hoping that there was some way that I could like this wonderful nut. Nope. I couldn't stand any of it. Knowing this I skipped over the shelled pecans in the bowl for a while. But, I finally cracked one open--rather delicately--and popped it in my mouth. It's settled now. The only way I like pecans is right of the shell...literally.
Peanuts are not even in my pile...they really do belong in the peanut gallery. I don't care for them raw, salted, roasted or fresh out of the shell (but I will eat them with chocolate). When compared with the other nut friends, they are just....BLAH! And frankly, they're too easy to shell. You don't even need a nutcracker to tears those apart. What is up with that??
My favorite nuts to eat and shell are almonds and hazelnuts. While cashews are my all-time favorite nut--you can't get those shelled. It's not your typical nutshell and it's toxic so I guess I can live without getting them in their organic form.
After making all these discoveries I decided to get my own collection of shelled nuts. Unfortunately, the mixes you find in the store are rather sparse and don't include every shelled nut. But, I do have a nice basketful to get me started! Couldn't wait to dig in and get crackin'...
There's just one problem. I don't own a nutcracker.Nuts!
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