Buttermilk Cake with Fruit

As soon as I saw the Raspberry Buttermilk Cake posted at Smitten Kitchen, I knew I had to give it a try.  I got some raspberries and fought off both girls to be able to save a cup of berries for the cake.  It was delicious, but it fell apart spectacularly when I tried to [...]

Read Full Post »

What We’re Reading Now

Jill of the Well-Read Child has started a new weekly series about what everyone is reading with the children in their life.  I’m excited because I love  booklists and peeking into other people’s reading lives.  Jill will round up the posts at her blog every Thursday and anyone who reads with kids can participate by [...]

Read Full Post »

Three Day Weekend Fun

Our holiday weekend was packed with activity despite lots of rain.  My parents came to visit providing much grandparently attention and giving Brent and me a much needed date night.  We drank wine, ate cheese, bread, and olives and talked uninterrupted.  Amazing!

On Saturday, M ended year three of ballet lessons with a fantastic recital performance.  [...]

Read Full Post »

Non-Fiction Monday: Dinosaurium by Barbara Brenner

We picked up Dinosaurium by Barbara Brenner at a library book sale and it’s become one of 5yo M’s favorite dinosaur books.  She likes that it begins with kids entering a museum and follows them through all the different dinosaur exhibits.  The book is out of print but used copies are easy to find.
M likes [...]

Read Full Post »

Warm Goat Cheese Salad and Chocolate Mousse

A few days ago, I decided to go through the numerous sticky notes protruding from my copy of The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz (my review is here.) and see if I could make one or two recipes with what I had on hand.  So for dinner that night, we had warm goat [...]

Read Full Post »

Watercolors

The last time we went to A.C. Moore, I noticed they had storebrand paints and supplies that all cost $5 each.  I picked up a package of their tube watercolors since we’ve been frustrated at how quickly the paints in our Crayola trays get hopelessly mixed up (especially when painting with 2-year-old C) and how [...]

Read Full Post »

More Sewing

My renewed interest in sewing has continued.  I used the leftovers fabric from my new bag to make M a dress for her American Girl Samantha, two No-Cash Wallets from Bend the Rules Sewing (I plan to fill them with treat coupons and give them to the girls when we head to the beach at [...]

Read Full Post »

Non-Fiction Monday: First Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life

We periodically go through dinosaur/pre-historic times kicks here.  I think M has checked out every book on dinosaurs and other prehistoric life at our library branch at some point.  One of the first books on the topic that interested her was Usborne’s First Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life.  I ordered a four pack of [...]

Read Full Post »

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

I cannot remember where I first heard about this wonderful series by Blue Balliett, but Chasing Vermeer had been on my TBR list for several months.  I noticed it at the library the other day when I was looking for something else. I read the back, glanced at the first few pages, and became immediately [...]

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: To A Butterfly by William Wordsworth

As a child, the surest sign of spring to me was the return of butterflies, first small, extremely fluttery white ones and then brightly-colored monarchs, swallowtails, and others whose names I didn’t know.  Now M and C announce each butterfly’s entry into our yard.  So in honor of these heralds of spring, here’s a butterfly [...]

Read Full Post »