The Latest Rocket Launch

On Friday, we went out to the field with 3 new rockets to launch.  The first (the purple one) had 2 motors, and the launcher didn't have enough "juice" to make it go.  The other 2 were launched and retrieved, the yellow one (I think) in need of a fin repair, which has been completed, the white one - a test of a new chute design, survived quite well and only needs a slight revision to the parachute (or so I'm told). 

Baby Sling(s)

Hannah sent me a link to a babydoll sling a couple weeks ago.  I finally got one made - two actually.  I didn't have a pattern, just a couple pictures from someone's etsy account.  I made the first one for Isabele.  It was a hit.  So, that night, I made one for Titus.  I like the way I made Titus' better, and need to make a couple more.  Great gift idea for girls and even boys.  Titus carries airplanes and action figures in his, though in the picture, I did stuff Brian's old doll (in much need of some repairs), Herbie, in just to see if design number 2 would work better for larger dolls.  (It does). 

The kids were not very excited about posing for pictures on this occasion.  But you get the idea at least.
When I make the next one, hopefully this afternoon, I'll pay attention to how I did it so I can stick it in my ideas/instructions book.  if anyone is interested in one, or the instructions, let me know.

Clipity Clop

I just got a 3 minute dissertation from Titus about how to sing "Clipity Clop"  Clipity Clop.  Hear the sound of the donkey walk.  Apparently this is a song that the "big lady" at my Friday Bible study has taught the kids.  Titus included a volume demonstration as to how loud I was to tell my class to sing it.  He did say he would tell my class how to sing it, so maybe I'll just leave that to him.

Today

Titus told his teachers at mom's group that they could come to heaven too, after a story about candycanes symbolizing Jesus' death and resurrection.  He apparently correctly answered their question about where you go when you die. 

I made Isabele a sling carrier for her baby doll(s).  She asked me if she could wear it "for ever and ever and ever".  I told her yes, just not in the bathtub or in her bed.  When she spilled my tea on it, she promptly removed it for dinner.  She had to have it back on as soon as she was done eating.  And she wandered around after her bath (while I was getting her PJ's) stark naked, save for the baby sling and a baby. 

Upon reading a new book (to the kids) that I got as a gift at mom's group, "The legend of the CandyCane", we had a very long and interesting conversation about why the soldiers beat Jesus and made him bleed and what happened to them and about heaven.  Made all the more interesting by my attempting to find words and rationale to explain all of this to Titus and Isabele at ages 3 3/4 and 2.  And Titus' best question was, "For real, how does Jesus get into your heart?" (while patting his chest).  So I explained that Jesus is kind of like air, he's everywhere but we can't touch or see him, and that it is His spirit that is really cool and just gets into our heart when we ask him to.  He then said, "oh yeah, he is really cool and always does good things."

I think there was something else of interest today, but after the bedtime discussion, I honestly can't remember what it is.  If you remember, Hannah, comment and maybe it will trigger my memory.

It is amazing to watch God working in my kids and to watch their brains try to put it all together and come up with something that they can kind of understand.

Biscuits Supreme

I've made biscuits a lot.  I have used the recipe my mother always used.  I have used the recipe that my father-in-law uses.  I have used this recipe.  All to yield mediocre biscuits.  Then, a couple days ago, I once again made biscuits to go with my beef stew.  I used the Biscuits Supreme recipe (it's the best of the three, for me) that I got out of my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
This time they were all flaky and light - just the way they should be.  What did I do differently??  Was it repeatable?? 
I made them again today, just to make sure that it wasn't a fluke, and they turned out even better!!  Tall and light and flaky.  Wow!! 
Here's what I did differently.  I used unbleached flour (I don't think that really made a difference).  I cut up my stick of butter, fresh out of the fridge, into 16 or so pieces and stirred them into the dry ingredients (so they weren't all stuck together) and then let it sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes while I worked on the rest of dinner prep.  Then I cut the butter in, like normal and added the milk.  I stirred it up until the milk wasn't all soupy and sticky, but there was still lots of loose flour/butter mixture.  Then it all got dumped on the counter and "kneaded" (really folded over and pressed together for the 8-10 times the recipe instructs.  Then I pressed the dough out with my hands (no rolling pin) and cut them out. 

And the recipe:
Biscuits Supreme
450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Yield 10-12 biscuits
Time start to finish: 45 minutes to 1 hour

2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 c milk

Here are the instructions from the recipe.  What I did differently is above.
Combine the dry, then cut in butter till coarse crumbs.  Add 2/3 c milk.  Stir till moist.  Knead 10-12 strokes.  Pat out to 1/2 inch think.  Cut with 2 1/2 inch cutter.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.

For My Sister (Christmas Stockings)

Just for my sister, who wants to put a link to pictures of my Christmas stockings on her blog.  My Grandma Bolinger made my stocking for me years and years ago.  Brian didn't have one like mine, so when I decided that Titus needed a stocking for his first Christmas, I also ordered a kit to make one for Brian.  Titus' has lights on the tree that used to light up, but they never worked very well, and don't light up any more.  Brian's has a musical thing in the toe that chirps a Christmas song.  I ordered a kit in 2009 for Isabele's 2nd Christmas (no way I was going to get one done for her first Christmas - she was born October 30th).  I had the best of intentions, but didn't get it done for 2009.  It was almost done, and I got tired of it.  I couldn't work on it while the kids were awake as they both wanted to play with the sequins and beads, so it got put away.  Luckily, I remembered it wasn't done about a month ago and got it finished in just a couple of evenings.  I did do all of the embroidery and appliqué on Titus, Isabele and Brian's stockings.  I did not, however, create the design.  I just followed the pattern and instructions.

Outside Garlands

We did our tree a little differently this year, kind of.  We have an inside tree that is about 5 feet tall, and we got a matching one to put outside for the birds and squirrels in the front yard.  Then I got some cranberries and nuts in the shell and made some popcorn.  Then we made garlands for the outside animals.  I drilled holes in the nuts and then the kids helped me string everything to make garlands.  We had probably 20 feet of edible garlands.  I tied the tree to the birdfeeder pole in the front yard, and then put the garlands on.  I was hoping that the outside critters would eventually eat them.  I didn't get a picture of it on day one, as I expected the decorations to stay on the tree.  I forgot, however, the true nature of squirrels.  I did all of this Friday evening.  I did not look closely at the tree on Saturday.  When we got home from church this morning, I noticed that the tree looked a little bare.  All that is left is a few cranberries on the ground.  My friends, the squirrels, must have taken the garlands somewhere.  There are no shells on the ground around the tree.  I do have some more supplies, so I will make some more and take a couple pictures right away.  But here are a couple pictures of the kids working on our project.

 Titus and Isabele got to share a coke and eat all the popcorn they wanted to while helping me string cranberries, nuts, and popcorn.

 Isabele concentrating on getting her needle in and out of the nuts.  She used a relatively blunt, thin yarn needle.  She preferred to string the nuts as she needed help piercing the cranberries.

 Titus swinging his second garland.  He was able to string everything, all on his own with his sharp needle!

Concentrate!

School

Titus is now doing reading and science school and Isabele does science school.  Science school consists of working with Brian on a circuit board "game".  They follow the directions and make a couple circuits every day.  They snap on and off and have different things they do - a light, a fan, a speaker, an LED... and various combinations thereof. 

Swimming Lessons

The kids are taking swimming lessons at the Y on Wednesday mornings this session.  Titus is in the Pike class - the first one independent of a parent.  He's been being very brave and doing what the teacher says, but hesitantly.  This past Tuesday night, he put his whole face in the water in the bathtub!!!  It was his idea and he just did it.  I was hoping that he would do the same Wednesday morning, and he did!  He did 2 bobs, a little swimming with his face in the water (while I was taking Isabele to the bathroom) and "dove", with the teachers help, for a ring twice.  He was so proud of himself. 
I think part of what spurred him on is that he doesn't like to go to daycare during Isabele's lesson, which is first.  So he sits quietly in the chairs on the pool deck and watches Isabele, who has no fear of water and never has.  She "jumps" in over and over and even went from the teacher to me a couple of times with her face in the water. 

Isabele's 2nd Birthday Party

The party went quite well.  Isabele loved her presents.  The food was good.  And everyone laughed at least once.  I think that makes it a success!  Now for the pictures.

The flowers are all ones that I picked from my scraggly, dying garden this afternoon.  Note to self - don't pull everything out just because it's getting cooler.  These are all quite happy and the low last night was 36.

 I saw this recipe in a new book and thought I'd make it.  Snails out of refridgerated breadstick dough.  The kids helped and it was amusing - plus they were tasty.

Also a new recipe - Feta, Basil and Roasted Red Pepper Muffins. Very good - Taste of Home 2011.

 Modeling her new pajamas and slippers.  I added the flowers to plain slippers.  Gotta love a hot glue gun!

 Her new ring.

 Slippers.

 I think she likes them.

 Reaching for her necklace from Nana and Grandpa.  Kimber is going to help her put it on.

 Wearing her new snail necklace.

 Checking out her tortuga bracelet from Uncle Micah and Chuma (Kimber).

 Birthday cake.

 She blew the candles out herself.  One at a time. It took her a while, but she was being shy.

Titus helped me put up the balloons while Isabele was taking a nap.  He added the squares of paper taped to the window after I told him he could not tape them to the wall.  

Oh - I didn't get pictures but she also got a 1970's era Fisher Price jet set, complete with car, fuel truck, people and suitcases.  She loves it.  Also got a mug with a pig in the bottom from Nana.  Titus made out well also with a mug with a sheep in the bottom, and a Playmobile Rescue Helicopter. 

Isabele's Birthday Party Day

I'm going to add to this in sections.  So I don't forget everything I want to remember.

1.  One of her cutest comments right now: Me "Isabele do you need to go potty?"
Isabele: "(pause) No tank you Mommy"  It's made even better with her intonation. 

2.  Also on the bathroom front: I showed her how to get onto the toilet by herself yesterday (Not sure how wise this was of me) because she started going in the bathroom and taking her pants off, then coming to tell me she had to pee.  I didn't figure she would be able to do it by herself for a while yet - the toilet is pretty big when, standing next to it the seat is higher than your waist - but she's taken herself potty 3 times this morning!  I wasn't so sure she could do it, but Brian said he found her sitting on the toilet alone - so I guess she really can.

To get ready for her party this evening I have lots to do, so I'd better get started.  Still have to make and decorate her cake.  Need to go to the store to get a couple things for dinner.  Find all the extra chairs, stashed about the house, haul out the folding table, wrap 2 presents (after going to to the store for some paper - all I have is Christmas stuff.  OOPS!).  Oh - and of course, keep Titus and Isabele in one piece and mostly out of trouble...  Will add pictures and anything else of interest later.

Titus Rides the Kid Trail at the Boy's Club

A kids trail was marked out at the Time Trial and Poker Run this past weekend at the Boy's Club.  Brian participated in the ride and that's how he knew about the kids trail.  We took Titus out on his 2 wheeler on Monday.  He did well.  Only crashed when I was helping him.  Later we stopped by my mother's and she asked if she could ride the trail with Titus.  It was getting late, so we decided the next day would be better.  Titus was ready to go.  He received a pair of riding gloves from Uncle Micah on Sunday, and was really excited to be able to wear them riding the trail.  On Tuesday he did the trail 3 times.  The first with Brian running along, the second just riding with Bia behind him.  Then we headed back to the truck, Brian and Isabele and I on foot.  Titus went down the paved trail with Bia a bit, then decided to go back down the gravel path.  Apparently he told Bia that he didn't want to ride on the path, but that he wanted to do the trail again.  So that makes 3 circuits in 1 day.  The last time he let go of the brakes about 1/2 way down the big hill.  Here are a few of the pictures.

The entrance to the Boy's Club.  Titus and Bia are headed out.

Titus and Brian in the foreground.  Bia is in the back headed down the hill.

 At 3 3/4 years old, Titus rides faster than Brian can jog.

 Isabele, a week short of 2 years old.  

Titus and Bia just up the incline on round 2.

 Here he comes.  

 I think he's just a bit proud of himself.

What a great expression!  The excitement far outways the hesitation.  Don't forget to notice the gloves.  THANK-YOU UNCLE MICAH!!

Cook-out and Rocket Launching at the Woods

Hannah was home from Alaska with Lilly for the last 2 1/2 weeks.  One of the things she said she wanted to do was to have a cook-out at my parents woods.  So we did it.  The weather was perfect.  Didn't even need jackets.  Brian brought along a bunch of model rockets and we launched them after dinner out in the middle of the harvested soybean field.  We only lost 1 rocket and I think we had 7 launches.  One of the rockets had a payload.  Titus put a Swedish Fish candy in it.  Things didn't go quite right and the payload was lost.  I expected that Titus would be very upset.  Instead, when he found the fish gone, he said, "Oh.  My fish just wanted to keep flying."  We launched that rocket a second time with a new fish.  All worked well the second time around and he ate the fish after it flew. Here are a few pictures.

Isabele, Lilly and Hannah

Brian relaxing and tending the fire.

Hannah and Lilly. 

My mother, Titus, Micah and Kimber

Brian and the fire - burning off the crud on the grate so I can cook some hamburgers.

Titus.  He's getting so grown-up.

Titus, Lydia, Isabele, my Mother, Hannah and Lilly.  Walking back from the far side of the field.

3 Generations.  Lydia and Isabele.  Hannah and Lilly.  Mother/Bia.

Blast off.

Blast off.

Unloading fieldstone and putting it around the foundation of the cabin.  Hannah, Titus, Havoc, Micah, Lydia, my Dad, Lilly and Isabele.