A Tale of Two Cakes

What a difference a year makes!  Last year, I went to Indonesia and was able to celebrate my granddaughter's first birthday with her.  Being the cake-lover that I am, I thought she'd be a "sliver off the old layer cake", so to speak, and be equally as thrilled with her first cake.  Boy, was I wrong.

She took a taste or two of the cake and it looked promising at first.

Then she seemed more interested in the spatula then in the cake.

Then she gave us a look as if to say, "Ugh....are you guys trying to poison me with this stuff?"

She handed that spatula back over to us lickety-split and then......

She took off and didn't look back.  Her daddy and I had to eat more than our fair share to make up for her disinterest.  Such sacrifices we make!

THIS year, Mika was back in the States and once again, I was incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate her 2nd birthday with her.  She was really excited this time about getting presents AND having a birthday cake.

She bailed Grover and Elmo out of their plane before we had ever cut the cake and then leaned over and took a chomp out of the side of the cake before I could snap off another camera shot.

She tried the old "finger in the frosting" technique and employed it liberally until we brought out the silverware and plates.

She showed us that two-year-olds are much too grown up to be using spatulas and can feed themselves now.

She showed Nana exactly what she thought about having to interrrupt her cake eating in order to smile for the camera.

And she debated how to wipe her face while still stuffing more cake into her mouth.  Ah, yes....little Sweet Pea seems to have inherited her Nana's love of cake after all.  Balance has been restored to the universe.  Happy birthday, Mika!

All Things Old are New Again

When I envisioned myself getting a new car eventually, I was thinking that I'd be getting a small car.  The top two contenders were the Ford Fiesta and the Honda Fit.  In fact, I had already picked out (in my mind) a lime green Ford Fiesta with special decals on the sides which are available as an additional option through Ford.  It was going to be a black city skyline and I thought I might add a black bat or two in the sky above the skyscrapers.  My only criteria when thinking of a new car was that it would be sporty and it would be roomy enough for my spinning wheel to fit inside.  I CERTAINLY never thought I'd be in the market for a minivan again.

We drove our share of minivans when the kids were growing up.  They were great for hauling kids and pets and luggage around the country.  But those days were behind us.  It was just the Commander now and myself.  At least that is what we were thinking.  Somehow we overlooked the fact that, with two little grandchildren, we now had to be able to haul four adults and two children in carseats or else take two cars everywhere if we wanted to go someplace with all of us.

And that's how I find myself the slightly bemused owner of a new Toyota Sienna van that holds 8 passengers.  It has just about every bell and whistle you'd want.  In fact, I was joking with my book club group that I felt like I had to go to flight school just to learn how to operate the thing.  The other day I was driving over to the bookstore at night, in the rain, when I realized that I didn't have my lights on (my son had inadvertently taken them off of the "automatic" setting) and that I had no clue how to get the lights on.  I had to pull into someone's driveway while I fiddled with the controls until lights appeared.  The next challenge was trying to get the windshield wipers going correctly.  As I rolled into the parking lot, my back wipers were going, my front ones were going, I had a red triangle glowing on my dash which was alarming me because I had no idea what it meant, and I wasn't too sure that I knew how to turn off my seat, which was heating my buns.  God forbid if someone should call me because my hubby hadn't told me how to answer the phone on my steering wheel.  And forget about getting gas!  I didn't know where the gas cap release was.

It sure is slick, though, as a people mover.  We're driving around in luxury with the little ones in their carseats and plenty of room in the back cargo area for groceries and other goodies.  I'm slowly getting the hang of how to open the sliding side doors, although it is still iffy whether or not I'll get the correct door to slide open on the first try.  I'll eventually get it.  The hardest part is trying to figure out where my front end is and how far back the rear extends.  This car is a lot bigger than my little Vibe.  For now, I'm going for the pull-through parking spaces to play it safe.  Who would have thought that I'd be back amongst the mini-van crowd at my age?  It's worth it, though, for little Sweet Pea and little Spud.

Wacky Christmas Gifts

The "Not-Keeping-Up-With-Technology Gift"

Oh, boy!  My Brookstone catalog came yesterday and I finally had time to look through it this morning.  I love going through their catalog because they always have unique gifts.  Sometimes they have some pretty wacky ones, too.  I had to highlight a few that caught my eye.  Are you ready?

1.  The "Not Keeping Up With Technology Gift" - This is the iDesign Tower Stereo System.  I have to chuckle at it, though. Here is a speaker that stands 40 inches high with a TINY iPhone or iPod on top.  Hello?  Isn't the whole genius of our marvelous iPads, iPhones and small music storage devices the fact that we can cram so much into such tiny devices?  And yet we have to stick it on a monolith like this?  I'm holding out for a tiny version, thank you.

"The Annoying-As-Heck Gift"

2.  The "Annoying As Heck Gift" - Are you someone who just can't get up in the morning?  Maybe this alarm clock is for you.  It's Tocky - The Rolling Alarm Clock.  Tocky will wake you up with an alarm and then roll off your nightstand and jump and roll all over your room until you get out of bed to shut the darn thing off.  I don't know about you but I'm thinking that someone who has a very hard time getting up probably isn't too chipper once they wake up.  I suspect "long life" and "Tocky" aren't mutually compatible terms.  Duck!

"The My Kid is Brilliant Gift"

3.  The "My Kid is Brilliant Gift" - We all know them....those parents that can't stop bragging about their kids.  If you have one of those on your shopping list, how about the Go Vinci "Look What I Made" Backpack?  Now parents can not only drone on and on about their kids but they can also put their masterpieces right out there for all the world to see.  Just don't be too effusive in your praise.  Those tykes might offer to autograph it and sell it to you, for a profit.

"The Got-You-Where-I-Want-You Gift"

4.  The "Got You Where I Want You Gift" - This is the OSIM uAstro Zero-Gravity Massage Chair.  Now some folks might think it looks really relaxing.  I don't know.  I'm thinking that wife looks pretty smug walking past her hubby, who is immobilized in the chair.  She's probably thinking, "Yeah, now I can head out  to the stores and he'll be in that thing until I get home."

It is supposed to be quite a luxury item.  However, when I look at it, it looks like an instrument of torture, like the Iron Maiden.  You'd have to drug me to get me in that thing.  It can be yours for a mere $3,293.

"The Taking-Out-Aggression Gift"

5.  The "Taking Out Aggression Gift" - I have to tell you, I LIKE this gift.  I saw it the other day at our local Staples and I almost got it for my son-in-law.  I would have, too, if I hadn't already finished my Christmas shopping for him.  This little baby is the USB Desktop Missile Launcher.  You basically plug it into your computer's USB port and then you can shoot foam missiles at targets up to 25 feet away.  Not only that, you can also do this remotely via Skype and MSN messaging.  You don't even have to be in the same room.   If you really want to have some fun, add the optional sound effects and WHEE!  You've got your own miniature Gatling Gun, primed and ready to terrorize the cats and family.  I want one!

Upstaged by Grover

When my children were little, one of their favorite books was "Oscar's Book."  This is my son's well-worn copy...a Little Golden Book.   I recently grabbed it to read to our granddaughter during a Skype visit and now it's often requested when we talk via the computer.

One of the things that makes it such a great book to read to children is that the dialogue is SO dramatic, ironic, and just plain funny.  There is action, there is interaction with the reader, and plenty of opportunities for the adult reader to really put some "oomph" into the reading of it.

Because our little Sweet Pea has enjoyed that book so much, I wasted no time in grabbing these little child-sized books off the shelf at our local Barnes and Noble to put in her Christmas stocking.  I'm really looking forward to reading them to her, when I can pry them away from her.

This morning I was reading a computing magazine on my iPad and noticed a glowing review for a children's application.  It was an interactive version of "The Monster at the End of this Book."  How could I resist?  The price was right ($3.99 here in the States) so I purchased it and quickly downloaded it onto the iPad. Well then I had to give it a try, right?

What fun!  You turn the pages by clicking on an area in the bottom right-hand corner.  In case you or your little one forget, Grover will remind you.  In the meantime, Grover is animated and walks around on the pages, emoting in all his theatrical glory as he tries to get the reader NOT to get to the end of the book.  Ha!  What child could resist turning the page?

What ADULT could resist turning the page as well?  The words are highlighted as Grover speaks them in some of the "bubbles" on the pages.  For the adventurous who want to go off the beaten path, if you will, you can do other things like poke Grover and he'll deviate from the written word and respond in ways appropriate to where you are in the story.

If you are familiar at all with the story, you know that Grover tries a lot of things to keep you from turning the pages.  The reader/child will soon discover that they can cause delightful things to happen if they do things like poke the ropes or touch the brick wall he builds.  What fun!

I have to say, though, that I found myself a little jealous of Grover.  As an actress, I've always loved really "getting into" a story when I'm reading it to young children.  I love doing the voices, making the sounds, and adding the side comments before turning the pages.  Now Grover was doing it all instead of me.  I was upstaged by a furry blue puppet.  Sheesh!  But you can't keep a good thespian down and I quickly decided that there was plenty I could do in a supporting role as my Sweet Pea and I work with this application.

There is a second book available in this series called "Another Monster at the End of This Book" and I just noticed that it is available for an introductory price of $0.99 up on iTunes right now.  What a deal!  Can you guess what I just purchased?  I think there is only one downside to these two applications.  Once your little ones have had a chance to interact with them, you might never again be able to walk past them with your iPad in hand without them trailing along behind you wanting to see Grover "again."

Food, Glorious Food!

Dad prepares to carve the turkey.

I come from a family who LOVES to eat so many of our celebrations and memories have centered around food over the years.

Thanksgiving with toddlers.

Apparently my hubby came from a similar family because when I married him, he brought a whole new set of family recipes to the marriage AND his own recipe box.

Will Grandma do her usual sampling?

One of the family tricks that has provided amusement at our gatherings has been my mother's tendency to "sample" the pies when no one is looking.  We'd usually discover that she'd done some tasting when we'd go to bring the pie to the table and see that a little hole had been cut out smack dab in the middle of the pie.

"On your mark, get set....."

When all the family gathers together, we enjoy the same dishes over and over again.  If it is Thanksgiving, you get Green Bean Casserole, Hash Brown Supreme Casserole, Sweet Potato Souffle, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Jellied Cranberry Sauce, Turkey, a dessert salad (affectionately called "fruit compote" by the kids), and at least two kinds of pie.

We also like to photograph food.  I never realized that we did this so much until this year when my sister-in-law came around the corner and saw me setting up a shot with one of the dishes.

"Wow, " she said, "You and your brother are just the same.  He's always taking pictures of food."

I'd never realized this was unusual.  I thought everyone did this at special meals or when they make something that they want to remember.

After all, how else are you going to have bragging rights, if you don't snap a picture of that culinary concoction and then post it on your blog or up on Facebook?

I was going to ask my mom if she used to do this but then I figured out it would be pointless to do so.  After all, she was ALWAYS taking pictures so I'm sure that there was a roast or a pie in there somewhere.

I DID have to chuckle though on Thanksgiving Day when we Skyped with our son and his family in Texas.  We asked him if he had had a nice holiday with his in-laws.

"Mom," he said.  "It was a curious experience spending the holiday with a different family and seeing what  traditions they had.  And this has to be the FIRST time that I've sat down at a holiday meal where everything  didn't taste like dessert."

Yikes!  Guilty as charged.  We do have a powerful sweet tooth in our family.

Small Business Saturday

This is the first Thanksgiving holiday season that I can remember in years when I did NOT go shopping on Black Friday.  You know what?  It actually felt good to be able to sleep in on Friday and to leave the madness to everyone else.

Instead we had a pleasant day with family, eating leftovers, taking a LOT of family pictures, and playing games.  Some of us watched the seemingly endless football games that were broadcast .  It was very relaxing.

On Saturday we tried a new tradition.  I don't know if this has been going on for awhile now or if it is something new that retailers have dreamed up but local advertisers and newspapers have been touting "Small Business Saturday."  The push is for shoppers to go out and visit locally-owned businesses to do some shopping, thus giving them support and sending business their way.

We headed out to Gettysburg Saturday to drive around the National Park, doing a self-guided auto tour.  It was a lovely morning, with few tourists around and fairly balmy weather.

As the day progressed, the sky turned gray but still the rain held off and so did the wind so we were content to wander along the ridges of Little Round Top.....

To take pictures of the many monuments scattered around the park, which are amazing in their variations and meanings.....

To imagine the horror and carnage of those days in July so many years ago and the many families that suffered loss, realizing that this was not just a battlefield but also the final resting place of so many young men...

And to stop to appreciate the stark beauty of farmhouses straight out of a Wyeth painting.  I couldn't help but also think about the townspeople and the farm folk who suddenly found themselves in the middle of this horrible conflict during the Civil War.

But back to our "Small Business Saturday," after our time spent at the Gettysburg Battlefield, we headed off through the winding back roads to the Adams County Winery to do a little wine tasting.  The roads back to that little winery are so twisty that we laughed and joked among ourselves that surely this was a deterrent for those who might be tempted to imbibe too much once they arrived at their destination.  Anyone slightly tipsy would be likely to find themselves having a close encounter with an apple tree if they weren't careful.

We had a lovely time there and, by the way, I highly recommend these folks and their wine.  The wine is lovely, the vintners are very friendly and there's even a golden retriever who greets guests and has a wine named after him.  We did our part supporting a local small business and headed on home to have yet another go at our Thanksgiving leftovers.  I believe we have now set the record for getting the most meals out of one Thanksgiving meal in our household.  I don't want to see turkey or green bean casserole again for a LONG time.

Outings and Shenanigans

Continuing our discussion of Thanksgiving traditions, one of our favorite traditions has centered around the cousins getting together.  They've been enjoying each other's company since they were babies and when they get together, mischief and fun isn't far behind.

Over the years, we've had impromptu fashion shows put on by the kids.

We've had sing-a-longs interrupted by the occasional OUTSTANDING dance moves.

We've gone on outings over the holiday weekend.  This particular outing has a little story attached to it.  My brother had been raving about the hamburgers at a place called the Black Diamond Bar and Grille.  He kept going on and on about how they were HUGE and the best he'd ever had. So we all piled in the van and headed out one cold morning for a long drive up into the mountains to have those hamburgers for lunch.  After all that driving, we got there only to find out that they were closed that day.  Oh, man....we sure didn't let my brother forget about that!  However, we continued on and came to this wonderful pancake restaurant that had real maple syrup with their flapjacks and after the meal, you could sit outside on their swings or walk little nature trails through the woods.  It turned into a lovely outing after all.

We've enjoyed "talent shows" put on by the cousins.  They've really been a hoot.

Have you heard of a group called the "Tijuana Brass?"  Well, sometimes we adults have joined in the fun, hence the "Michigander Brass."

And the kids have kept us entertained while we've waited for the turkey to finish cooking.

Sadly, the cousins are scattered around the country now with job and family commitments that make it difficult to get them all together at one time.   These days we are lucky to have one or two of  them joining us for Thanksgiving.  But regardless, we still have fun together as a family.  Wherever YOU are, we hope you have some fun planned, too, this holiday weekend with family or friends.