Easter party update

Yesterday was the big Easter party at school. Unfortunately, it was a rainy morning; fortunately, the kiddies were happy to hunt eggs indoors in the gym.

Here was the set up:



Here are the kiddies in action:



Gracie covered so much of the gym and such a fast clip that she lost many of her eggs. Before the big egg hunts this weekend, we are going to pull out the big guns with a deeper and more activity-resistant (read: no spill) basket:



In the end, she did not care about her final egg count. Many of her eggs she picked up two and three times, but she still had fun:



Lauren was a little lighter on her toes and held on to more eggs. Here is "Air Lauren" in action:



Sitting with friends:



"Lauren, how did you get your eggs to stay in your basket?!"



"I need a new basket..."



Enjoying lunch. Yum-yum-yum!



A visit from the Easter Bunny!



They had a fantastic time and are looking forward to a wonderful Easter weekend!

Happy Easter to all!!!

Friday's quote

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Recipe of the week: Peeps S'mores

In the spirit of Easter, check out the Peeps S'mores from Eclectic Recipes. This is such a great way to recycle all those left over Peeps.

Week 27: Sleeping Arrangements

The lay out of Gracie and Lauren's bedroom (they share) is the standard twin bed situation, positioned next to each other, with approximately two feet separating the beds. This has worked out well for us. Thankfully, the room is large, and they have enough room to have space of their own. Although yesterday, we heard Lauren exit her bed at 6:00am, and Skip found her curled up in Gracie's bed to snuggle before getting up to start the day. Our rule is that they must stay in the bed (with the exception of going to the restroom) until the sun is up, and they have adhered to that so far.

We have explained a few times about the changes that are planned for "Baby Brover's" arrival. The guest room will be converted, i.e., they will no longer have the entire upstairs to themselves. They have not grasped the ramifications of sharing a bathroom, but we will have lots of time to ease into that situation.

During our regular routine last night, Gracie suddenly interrupted story time, sat up in her bed and said, "We need to move our beds." She explained further, "We need to move them over to make room for Baby Brover." She looked pointedly at the two foot space between their beds, as if there could be no other place more appropriate for their new sibling. Looking at the space, she said, "I need to take care of him." We reminded her that Baby Brover might cry sometimes and that he might sleep in the guest room so that they can sleep uninterrupted. But, I am totally taking her up on her commitment to take care of him when he cries.

Palm Sunday

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and the children's classes had a brief appearance in "big church" involving the waving of palms and shouting "Hosanna!" Gracie especially loved the latter.

Friday's quote

Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love.

-Nelson Rockefeller

Overheard

Overheard earlier this week at Target:

Lauren: "Mom, why is that man holding up a '2?'"
Me: "He does not mean it as a '2' in that instance--"

Lauren: "--Well, is it a 'V?'"
Me: "No--"

Lauren: "--Well, what is it then?"
Me: "First things first. That 'man' is John Lennon, the heart and very pulse of the greatest band of... all... time. Never, ever listen to your father on this point; they were the best. Next, he was a major proponent of love and peace. The two fingers -- what we use for the number '2' or as sign language for 'V' -- became known as the peace sign. But back to The Beatles... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

Recipe of the week: Hello Dolly Bars

My mom's neighbor shared some these scrumptious bars a few months ago, and I had been meaning to try the recipe. I ran across the recipe in this month's Southern Living, and it jogged my memory that I had intended to make these tasty treats.

Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first three ingredients in a medium bowl. Press mixture onto bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake 8 minutes. Sprinkle pecans, chocolate morsels and coconut over hot crust. Pour condensed milk over top. (Do not stir.)

2) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and edges are bubbly. Let cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

More on Wallace

The literati world abounds with articles about "The Pale King" and its impending release, officially scheduled for 04-15-11. This article address how the author's draft and notes were organized and placed in order, and this article discusses posthumous works.

Pink or blue?

This week marks week 26 of our pregnancy with Lindsey Baby #3. We were sure this baby would be a girl. We had read that couples with two of the same gender, i.e., two girls or two boys, had an 85% likelihood of repeating the pattern. Now, we would be excited regardless, but we were really thinking/feeling girl with Baby Three. Imagine our surprise when the sonogram revealed that Baby #3 is a BOY! Apparently, the likelihood study we read about does not apply to same-sex twins. Or we fall into the 15%. Or it is just plain wrong. Or something.

This was big news to both of our families, but I think probably even more so for Skip's, as he is the last Lindsey male. Sarah and Sumit presented us with the above musical water globe inscribed with the message "Long Live the Lindsey Name!" So thoughtful and perfect, and it currently sits atop our mantle. Every time the girls see it (or hear it, as we wind it often), they say, "That's Baby Brover's!"

Speaking of, Lauren initially voted in favor of a baby sister, whereas Gracie specified a preference for a baby brother. When we told them the sonogram result, Gracie erupted into tears and cried out that she did NOT want a baby brother. Luckily that response only lasted for an afternoon or so, and everyone is on board with the idea for now. We'll see how long the acceptance lasts once he gets his grubby hands on all their princess paraphernalia. It should make for an interesting family dynamic.

Weekend fun

We spent Saturday playing out of doors. Occasionally, we would seek a reprieve from the heat and take a break or have a popsicle. Mostly, we chilled in the cul-de-sac.

Piggle tails

We do not get very adventurous with hair in our home. It took years to persuade the girls to use clips, and we introduced the pony tail last summer. For Gracie, she consents to wearing a pony tail for 30 minutes each week at ballet -- a requirement -- and not a minute more.

This morning Grammy picked up the girls for a visit. Imagine our surprise when they came downstairs wearing "piggle tails," at their request. I wasn't sure how long this hairstyle would last or if I would see it again any time soon so I was sure to get photographic evidence.

Friday's quote

Love inspires, illuminates, designates and leads the way.

-Mary Baker Eddy

Recipe of the week: Peanut Butter Cookies

Gracie, a true aficionado of peanut butter, loves these cookies; they are one of her favorite treats.

I modified a recipe out of necessity once, and this has become a classic.

Peanut Butter Cookies
(Makes 2 dozen)

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, peanut butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until well combined.

3) In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour and baking soda together. Add to the butter mixture, and beat just to combine.

4) Scoop onto baking sheets, placing cookies 3 inches apart. Dip the tines of a fork in warm water, press the dough balls slightly with fork.

5) Bake until golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Too tired to enunciate

Tonight, during bed time stories, I was so exhausted that I started channeling Tom Brokow and his lack of enunciation while reading Fancy Nancy's "Every Day is Earth Day".

Ballerinas

This class of hardworking girls has been practicing for the last eight months for a recital in May. We received the costumes, and the parents got a quick preview/dress rehearsal last night. The big stage debut is in a few weeks.

TOMS

DFW

After David Foster Wallace's tragic death in 2008, I knew there would be a plethora of unfinished, discoverable works, but I did not realize one had been identified, completed and published as "The Pale King".

Here is Michiko Kakutani's NYT review.

Friday's quote

I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings... Let us work together for unity and love.

-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Patronage

Back in February when we went to the mountains, Gracie and I had the opportunity to take a stroll -- just the two of us. Skip had flown from Knoxville to who-knows-where; Lauren had displayed the beginnings of a stomach bug, complete with vomiting in the car on the way to drop Skip at the airport; Grammy was taking a nap with Lauren back at our accommodations.

Gracie, who was showing no symptoms whatsoever and, in fact, had energy to burn, was up for a walk through the village. We took off on foot. After a while, we ducked into some type of dough nut shop so that I could satisfy a craving for hot chocolate. Gracie opted for an M&M cookie and a bottle of water. She looked like such a young lady making her selection, and really savored her treat.