Share and Share Alike

Me: walking out of the girls' room at bedtime.
Gwen: "Mom, I need a drink of water."
Me: "K, just a sec." (I remember doing this to my mother nightly... mental note to thank her next time I see her...)
Moments later...
Me: Handing Gwen a water bottle, which I (stupid mother) know is Tula's, but don't care, because it's bedtime and I am therefor, almost off duty...
Tula: Shrieking from the top bunk: "NOOOOOOO!! That's MIIIIIIINE!!"
Me: "Tula, really! Can you please just share?"
Tula: "NOOOOOOOO! I HAAATE Sharing!! I don't EVER want to share!" Sobbing...
Gwen: Finishing her drink of Tula's water, satisfied and smirking.  Knowing full well that I had, this time, been the one to make Tula absolutely belligerent.
Me: Handing Tula her water bottle.
Tula: Taking a drink... Pause... WAILING... "It tastes like my sister's BREATH!!!" Angry sobbing...
Me: Dumping out water bottle.  Refilling water bottle.  Returning to belligerent child.  "Is that better?"
Tula: Blotchy, tearstained... "Yes." Sniff.

Butterflies. They may be pretty but they're still bugs.

Last weekend we had visitors.  Three of my favorite people came into town.  I got my toddler fix and my girls got to dote on an adorable little man.  The long weekend was full of late evenings chatting, good food, and even better company.  As the weekend drew to a close I knew my girls were going to be devastated when their little buddy Ez had to get on a plane home.  I started plotting an outing.  

Sure enough, as soon as we pulled away from the departures terminal I peeked in the rear view; Gwendo was trying to hold it together while her eyes were welling up with tears, and Super T just lost it, huge crocodile tears and sobs.  I was glad I had a plan, I headed to the the Pacific Science Center.  For the most part it was a hit.  As per usual, my girls were entertaining.  Throughout the insect exhibit the girls were pleasantly creeped out.  When we came upon the Madagascar Cockroaches Tula chirped "I wish I could touch one!"  Yeah kid, if only... Next came the butterfly exhibit.  The teen volunteer explained to us the rules of butterfly conduct and let us into the building.  The girls freaked, and not in a good way.  I could tell that they were on the verge of screaming like the little girls that they are.  They were SERIOUSLY not ok with these crazy beautiful - but still essentially just - bugs threatening to land on them at any given moment!  Then the inevitable happened... one landed on Gwen.  On her shoulder.  She instantly turned into Lurch, haunched back, shoulder pointed to the sky, pretty sure her knee went straight immobilized and she panic whispered: "MOM!! GET IT OFFFFFF!!!"  Tula plastered herself to my leg and made some hideous alien panic noise.  Seriously, it was all I could do to not fall to the ground laughing.  I said "I'm not allowed to touch it.  It'll just fly away in a sec."  And yes, maybe I enjoyed the fact that I couldn't just flick it off her shoulder a little too much... After a few seconds and after it didn't fly away, I did straighten her shirt a little and the pretty little thing took off.  I chuckled and Gwen said, "No really mom, WE HAVE to Get OUT of here."  It's times like these that I wonder what my life would be like if I had had boys.

So, we were done with the science center.  BUT (!) worry not, being the brilliant mother that I am, I bought us a membership!  We can have such lively adventures with butterflies any time we want!!  

 
 

We decided to hit the fountain.  And again, being the brilliant mother that I am, I brought swim suits (forgot towels though, DOH)!  Gwen did her best 'budding artist' impression and sketched both the fountain and the space needle.  She did not however, sketch a single butterfly.

Only one Mother the whole world over...

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.  ~Terri Guillemets

My wonderful Mother and I

Today is Mother's day, and I am feeling very very lucky.  Heart swelling kind of lucky.  Today we had our annual Mother's day brunch where the man-folk cook for the ladies... which is always more work than just having the ladies cook... but it's fun to watch and we ladies all get mimosas and talk a bit of smack as the gents fumble around the kitchen.  Perhaps it's my age, or that my children are growing by leaps and bounds, or that I was really missing my sister... but today I was really struck by the fact that families evolve.  Things change. People change.  But I always come back to my people.  They are my roots.  They are mine.

I had a discussion with my Grandmother about feet.  Tula has her feet.  I pointed it out to both of them.  Grandma gave Tula her condolences.  Tula just seemed confused as to how anyone could have her feet.  I hope that Tula remembers the conversation.  I'll make her remember it, I'm a mother, it's my job.

The foot conversation spiraled into a conversation about hands.  I have my father's hands.  I learned today that we all have those hands.  My Grandmother lamented that none of her children got her hands and none of the grandchildren did either.  We have my Grandfather's hands.  He proudly held his hand out for me to inspect and agree.  He already knew we had his hands.

I love how contented all the men look in this picture.
And I love that Uncle Dave looks like he's in some sort of trouble.  

The gift of motherhood, the gift of seeing the world become a better place because of the people you created, because of the love you give out freely.  I saw that pride again in my Grandmother today.  I've seen it in my Mom all my life.  I feel it when I kiss my babies goodnight.  I'm lucky to have been given this gift.  I'm lucky to have such strong women in my life.  I am lucky to still have them.  My cup runneth over.

Oh... My... Cake

Winter birthdays, ugh.  My birthday is in February.  I've always thought that having a February birthday sucks.  As a kid I never had the cool parties, the pool parties the BBQ's.  And now my poor second daughter not only doesn't have a summer birthday, she has an early January birthday.  I take full responsibility for this poor birthdate planning, a total oversight on my part... Early January, I must say, is even worse than February.  Everyone (read: mom and dad) is broke, everyone is exhausted, and everyone just saw you two weeks ago at Christmas...  I can only imagine that motivation is scarce for friends and family to venture out in the nastiness to brave a ~gasp~ retail establishment for an obligatory gift, and then to hang out in a crowded house and watch a now three year old spit on a cake.  But... maybe that's just me.

As a parent, trying to muster excitement for birthday festivities while still in the post Christmas funk, was difficult at best.  But I did it.

So, my sweet little chickie wanted herself a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake.  In retrospect this could have been done quite simply with a store bought cake. But that's totally not my style.  I don't buy cakes.  I make cakes.  So, I set out to find a SSC cake pan or something that would crossover as SSC cake pan.  I searched... and I searched... and I procrastinated... and I searched.  Eventually I realized that the super cute cake pan that I wanted was completely imposable to find in a timely (read:today) manner.  So, I changed gears...  I started digging into baking sites and I found a brilliant idea.  I have no idea what site it was on so I unfortunately, can't give credit where credit is due.  I will say that it wasn't my idea, but whoever figured it out is a genius.

Here's what you do:

•Print out a picture of whatever you want on the cake
•Set a piece of waxed paper over the picture
•Pipe directly onto the waxed paper exactly as you want it on the cake
•Lay the frosted wax paper flat in the freezer, freeze.
•Once frozen, peel the wax paper off the back of the design and set the design directly onto your prepared frosted cake.

Perfecto!!

I must say that I was pretty sure it was all going to go down in sticky pink flames.  No pictures were taken to document the failure that I anticipated.  I so wish I had some pics of the process... oh well, maybe next time.  In the end it turned out pretty good I think.  Super-T thought it was perfect!

Christmas comes but once each year...

Men and babies

Dad and Auntie working hard 

They say that Christmas comes but once each year... but not around here, not where I come from.  Growing up we had at least three recognized versions of Christmas.  One with my mom's family, one with dad's, and one at home as our family.  I have no idea if this is the norm, but it always has been for me.  I am used to multiple Christmases.  I like it.  Once Matty and I joined forces we added a few more Christmases... His family had been used to accommodating shift workers like myself, and had hence developed a tradition known as "little Christmas" which is usually the first of the celebrations somewhere around the 22nd or the 23rd.  (This one's nice because myself and the other shift workers of the fam can usually get this day off.)  In the end we usually can get a visit in with the majority of the local family and enjoy the consumption of several delicious holiday meals...

Chaos

We had a fantastic holiday season.  I was overwhelmed with the gift of family.  Being with the ones I love was honestly all that I wanted this Christmas.  I was heartsick for those who are far away but comforted knowing that the new year will bring new adventures for us all and perhaps those far away won't be so by next Christmas.

Shortly before the holiday a co-worker called me at home and offered to work my Christmas shift for me.  I was brought to tears and told her "You don't know how wonderful that would be!"  She, a mother of grown children, simply said "Yes I do."  And that I must say, was my favorite gift this year.  

Thank you friends and family for raising me, teaching me, and loving me.  I am a very lucky woman.  Merry Christmas.  My cup runneth over.

Not sure what they were watching, but it must have been good.

Cookie Day!

Again I'm playing catch up.  Here is cookie day!  My favorite domestic holiday of the year.  This year we were very well prepared and everyone showed up with a mixer, some supplies and at least one batch of dough ready to go.  My mother as per usual, was the generous host.  We had a great time with all 5 of the kids running around and intermittently *helping*.  Christmas music playing on the stereo and cheery and cheeky banter throughout the day.  It was great.  We loaded up a big box (thanks to the food saver) and sent it off to Jimmy in the far away desert.  We also sent a little box to Granny and the hounds on her snowy island.  We missed them both this year tremendously. 

  

In the end (from what I remember) we ended up making:

Macaroons

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Russian Tea Cakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Haystacks

Stained Glass Window Cookies

Cookie Rings

Spritz 

Lemon Sprites

Red Velvet Biscotti

A batch of peppermint fudge was the only loss of the day.  Burnt sugar is never a good thing.

There are a few still lingering around in my kitchen, much to Matty's dismay...  Overall, great fun.