My Dog!

It's not every day that we get to participate in a video production for a new publication. Especially one involving two large friendly, slobbery Bernese Mountain dogs.



Michael Rosen, author of the latest book: My Dog!, graciously invited the kids to be some of the models for his upcoming videos that will accompany the book. Well, actually it was a proposal that we could have easily decline. But...why would we?



The kids had no experience with this kind of thing (nor did the parents!), but they were up for it. The recent talk (obsession) about adopting some canine friends made it even more appropriate for them to spend an hour or so with these very sweet pups.



Michael, and his film crew, had the skills to work with perhaps two of the most difficult subjects (kids AND dogs)! Good thing we didn't have babies in the mix, too. But it seemed as if they were able to achieve what they had hoped for. Or so we hope.



Be on the look out for MY DOG! and if you ever get a chance to meet Michael in person (he will be on a book tour shortly), don't think twice. If he can write as well as direct children AND dogs at the same time, you know he's a person worth meeting.

ABC Gum Wall

California has Yosemite, and the Golden Gate bridge... What about Ohio? We have an ABC Gum Wall. Well, at least that is what we call it. It stands for, ready...: Already Been Chewed Gum Wall (if you are a parent, and are familiar with Ivy and Bean books, you know the lingo). We made that up ourselves.

I had to take a picture of them in front of it, after they each had contributed a piece of their own ABC gum to the wall. I know... free entertainment!

The wall is part of the Maid Rite building where we visited last weekend, after seeing the beautiful Bear's Mill (which completely ranks in a different calibre from this building, I am sure you would agree).

They look quite proud, don't they? They might not be so happy with me years from now. I do consider it part of my job as a mother to document all memories, including goofy ones such as this!

A Coconut Story

I am not sure why I bought these coconuts. I saw them at an Asian grocery store recently, and they called to me, so of course, I had to bring them home.

It could be that I wanted them for the sake of nostalgia, helping me to remember my childhood days of seeing these round, hairy, brown balls all over the place.

It could also be my optimistic self, thinking that I can make something out of them, involving the kids in the process. I thought it would be fun to show them how to whack these things open, anticipate the coconut water that follows, and grate the white flesh in preparation for making coconut milk.

I validated myself today and put these coconuts to work. We did all of the above, including moments of reliving my childhood: I remembered grating coconut meat on a "Coconut Bunny" (as it is known in Thai...after translation of course), and then playing with the coconut remnants after my grandmother had finished making her first and second and third rounds of 'milking' the grated coconut meats.

Of course the kids loved hearing about it all, asking with curiosity about the Coconut Bunny, and what we would make with the coconut milk afterward.

I had a grand idea. I wanted to make some sticky rice (white and black), and soak in with the creamy coconut milk we had made ourselves with a bit of palm sugar and salt. We would have it for dessert tomorrow, maybe with a bit of mango, or that frozen Durian I still have in the freezer.

The kids did a wonderful job making coconut milk from scratch. They proudly brought me a bowl full of the said milk and wanted me to be sure to strain out all the coconut meat that got in by accident. Sure, I said, I can do that.

If my head was in the right place, we would be eating that delicious dessert tomorrow night. Except that we won't be. I did everything right, but forgot to have a bowl under the strainer. Yup, you guessed it. The precious coconut milk went down the drain.

On the bright side, I did get to accomplish all the reasons (I think) I bought the two coconuts in the first place. After all, I did not buy them while dreaming of a sticky rice dessert, did I?

Easy Popovers

How can one not like popovers? Just the name alone sounds fun, and the real things are even more fun because we can actually eat them!

I used to have a popover tin (it feels like in my last life, maybe in Maine?). With all the moving around, who knows where it is now. I do hope that whoever has it is using it to make these easy and delicious and kid-friendly pastries.

I was re-inspired to make them recently after reading this post, on a cold November day (which quickly went away for about a week when we had our glorious Indian summer days). I had forgotten how easy and quick and fun making popovers was until I made it again with the kids.

"We love them Mommy! Thank you for making them Mommy!" They both said while biting into their warm, steamy popovers, with the hollow middle filled with Nutella (although... everything is good with Nutella).

We liked them so much we made them again the following day, with a little more butter in the batter this time.

Popovers
Adapted from this post, and a recipe in this book (because you know, I can't follow a single recipe to save my life)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk eggs, milk, sugar together. Add flour and salt and melted butter and mix well. For best results, mix the batter with a hand-held electric mixer (if you have one, if not, a blender probably works well) until batter is smooth and lump-free.

Grease a muffin tin pan, or a popover tin pan, and fill each one half way with the batter. Should make about 6-10 popovers depending on the size of your pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until popovers are all puffed and golden brown.

Serve immediately with plenty of options for filling: butter, jam, honey, or Nutella!

Six and a half

Our annual tradition.

Hap__ Birth__ to ___.

Hap__ Birth__ to ___.

Hap__ Birth__ dear___ and____.

Hap__ Birth__ to ___!

Half Birthday. Half song. Half cake.

We enjoyed the half celebration with a wholesome meal. Thanks, Amy, for introducing this to us three years ago!

Happy 6th Birthday!

Well, what else can I say after my husband sweet words. They ring true for me as well. Our children are very dear to us, and how appropriate that their birthday falls on Thanksgiving holiday here in the US, this coming Thursday. They are truly little miracle children in more ways than one.

Happy Birthday, Momo. Happy Birthday, Clairey.

We love you so!

7 a.m.

Still dark and cold, but our house had a boy playing a ukulele on a horse! Why not?!

Look who is sewing!

These kids have been watching me sew this and that for months... and now, I feel comfortable enough to teach them how it is done! Granted it will take a while for them to actually make something on their own..., but children learn fast!

I still remember when I was a little girl, about the same age as these guys, playing under my grandmother's old-fashioned sewing machine. Hers was not an electric one, but one that had a manual pedal on the bottom. I still remember the calming rhythm of her moving the pedal as she sewed clothes in the afternoons. I would be sitting near by, playing with left over fabric pieces, pretending to be making clothes for my stuff animals. Those are good childhood memories...

Creatures

Who needs to go to the zoo when we can go to Blue Heron. Ellery found a baby snapping turtle today. Though it is very cute as an infant, the real deal is apparently vicious.


Momo and Claire found a catepillar that later becomes quite a mean pesty hornworm moth. We also caught a frog and attempted at catching more butterflies. There are always potato beetles and Mexican Bean Bugs in the field. Wildlife at its best!


We didn't get to sit in the back of the truck today as it was occupied with some pretty things!