Traditions Archives | Page 4 of 6 |

The Triplets’ Birthday Cake Choices

September 8, 2009 By Laura 3 Comments

After 7 years, it finally happened! The triplets wanted different kinds of birthday cake.

As I’ve mentioned before, we all choose what we want for our birthday cakes in our family. Up until this year, we’ve really lucked out in that, {J, O & S} have always just agreed on the same kind of cake. So this year was a ‘first’. They had all spent their own bouts of time flipping through their big sister’s cook books, and it seems 2 of them had seen something they wanted, and they knew exactly on which page, in which book, it was.

So this post isn’t directional recipes, per say, but a few cute ideas you may like to use for your kids, or yourself, sometime! Good news: Birthdays are not a requirement! An ordinary Sunday, the kickoff of a school vacation, or house cleaning being all done, are all good enough reasons for a treat! Feel free to come up with your own reasons. It’s really not hard to do when you’re in the mood for a treat!

Look how happy they are! This makes the extra hours in the kitchen, worth it.

{J} chose to have a ‘Mice Cream’.

In a graham cracker mini-pie crust, add a big scoop of your favorite ice cream. (In other words, choose your mouse color. : )

Eyes & Nose = Chocolate Chips

Whiskers = Large sprinkles

Ears = Keebler Grasshopper Cookies

Tail = We wanted red licorice string rope. But we could not find any. So, we picked up some of this Extreme Sweetly-Sour Belts, that we cut for a thin tail. It was wicked gross, and we threw it out as soon as the tail served it’s purpose. : )

Cute, huh?

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{O} chose a Cupcake Cone

With some yellow cake batter from {S}’s, we filled the cone up more than 2/3 full, and baked in 350 degree oven for 25-28 minutes. Cool, frost, sprinkle, eat. : ) We made 7.

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{S} wanted a 7 Cake!

Oh yeah, he’s sharin’!

We just baked an ordinary marble cake in a square cake pan, and cool. Remove from the pan, cut into a 7, frost and sprinkle.

We used to rarely have sweets around here. But since {A} loves baking so much, and with so many birthdays, holidays and blessings, we’re finding more reasons to celebrate with a treat than we used to! Thankfully, they are generously spaced with many healthy balanced diet meals around the table together.

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A Simple Pentecost Sunday with Kids

June 6, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

Our Pentecost Sunday this year was really quite simple. Not quite the more elaborate occasion we made it last year. But it was nice anyway. Acknowledging it was the most important thing to us, starting with Mass. But the kids (6, 6, 6, 11) spent the morning, before leaving for Mass, trying to remember and name all 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit, the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and the 12 apostles.

But when we got home, we did decide to make some Holy Spirit cupcakes.

We added orange and yellow food coloring and attempted to make the frosting into peaks, to resemble the fire of the Holy Spirit that descended upon the apostles, of course. Our technique and the outcome may have been a little lacking, but the kids had fun, and thought it all was awesome!

They wasted no time taste-testing one themselves, and you can bet Daddy and I joined them! They were indeed delicious! Such a light frosting that we whipped up.

We spent a good part of the day outdoors. But later on in the day, as I came out from my computer cubby, I found {J} right there in his chair, intensely reading a Bible story. Guess which one?

I just love these signs, that they truly are listening, and taking it all in. : ) When we discuss a Bible story, or get home from Mass, one or other of the little ones often go grab one of their Bibles, knowing just where to find that story in the pages, to read again. So, as if seeing him do this wasn’t enough to please a mother, I look up, and just look at what I see happening across the room……….

{O} giving {S} a foot rub! He looked quite relaxed, reading some Bible stories himself. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Not only because it was an incredibly loving sight to see, but because I was jealous!! ; ) I love foot rubs. Or foot squeezes. Probably much more than the average person, and my kids are really good at giving them.

I’m wondering: Are you actually still thinking about the cupcakes as you’ve been reading along here, wishing you could have one right now? Be truthful now!! It’s o.k. – I understand! I would be doing the same thing!

Well, your in luck! Because we saved you one!!

ENJOY!!

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May Basket Delivering! – SO FUN!

May 1, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

Our May Basket Delivering Day was so fun! We wanted to share it all with you.

There was no schooling on our agenda today – just delivering our May baskets for May Day, and the kids could not have been more excited! But, first, I had to have some of my own fun, taking just a few more photos, as detailed memories.

Ok, now I was ready. So next the kids loudly debated about which May basket was ‘theirs’, based on the tag they made, and who was going to who’s door, ringing the doorbell, and running for their life. Once that was settled, they were very eagerly ready to go! But you know I’m getting a photo of them first, and they know it too.

I was so grateful that the light rain we had going on, went on hold for us once it was time to get down to business. I didn’t mind the gray overcast day—it’s actually better for the photo taking. : )

Our first stop was right at the end of our road……

This is the home of a lovely elderly couple who have nearly ancient history in our neighborhood. This home of their is new, but it is built right in front of the old and smaller home that they raised 11 children of their own in! They are so sweet. So {A} placed the basket on the porch, rang the doorbell and ran. We were ‘seen’…..their visiting daughter opened the door as she and I were climbing back into the van up the road some. Last year their visiting son saw us the same way. Now…our hopes are always that our intended receivers would come to open the door, because that would give us more ‘get-away’ time, if you know what I mean. ; )

Next stop was up the main road a bit……

{J} was up for his hit and run. lol. This is the home of Sr. Jeremy—the long time nun resident of our parish. She has done marvelous and wonderful things within our church family. We love her dearly…..and she loves children, DEARLY!! She is a HOOT, if you know what I mean, and she has no reservations about speaking her mind. Ever. My kind of Girl!

I was hiding behind a bush with my camera, and I couldn’t have been more tickled pink with getting this shot!! Look how his feet aren’t even touching the ground! He was hysterical, trying to run before the door opened. We got away in time, but did spy with our little eyes, Sister open the door, see the May basket, and look everywhere for the sneaky one. lol

Next stop was a little ride, and it was {S’s} turn…..

This is the home of a lovely older couple from church, who dig us. And we dig them. We always sit all together in 2 pews in front or behind each other. They adore our kids, and are smitten with their church behavior. They are probably in their late 70’s, and have great senses of humor.

Now, I have to tell you…THIS was a tricky one. And we got TOTALLY BUSTED! See, here’s the thing. We were pretty sure these Peeps were going to be home. The brick sidewalk leading to this door, is very windy. It actually does a zig, and then a zag. So sidewalk is actually shifted very much to the right side, walking towards the door, and then does a zig to straighten head on to the door. So as we are walking, we are looking RIGHT IN the big window door-right. And we see movement in there. Oh dear! So {S} puts the basket down, and tries to hurry ringing the door bell, which is of course door right….

…and as he rings, he finds himself face to face with Mrs. G….coming to the door. DAG NABBIT!! Do you see her? Need help?

Do you see her now?? No?? It’s ok…it’s ok…it happens to the best of us. (Well, not really….I just don’t want you to feel bad…)…look again…

Now?? Because that’s really all I can do to help you. lol

So anyway….she’s coming, {S} sees her, but he starts ringing the doorbell anyway, and again, and again, because really….he was NOT missing the opportunity to ring a doorbell like everyone else! (We don’t have one on our house…lol).

Mrs. G opened the door, and laughing she said “WHAT are you DOING?”…and {S} said “Happy May Day!“, and she replied with a big laugh, “Aren’t you just the sweetest thing!“….and he has been repeating that all day. I think he believes her! lol. No…he is. So anyway…I was laughing so hard, from the nerves and getting caught, I forgot to take photos of her standing there, pleased as punch with their surprise. Then we ran away, with her yelling after us…‘Thank youuuu!!!”

We had ONE more stop, and it was {O’s} turn……

This is the home of our friend, Dr. Ann. She is a veterinarian, and she has become quite attached to our kids too. (And us, her.) We also know her from church, and we also sit near her. (She saved a pew for us on Sunday morning, because we were running late, and it was JAM PACKED because it was a First Communion Mass….bless her soul!! We were so thankful!) Anyway, she calls the kids ‘The Children‘….and if you heard her voice. LOVE her voice. She’s a lector too…which is so lovely hearing her read Sunday readings to us…and she is also a singer. (She got us all tickets to her concert this Sunday!) Anyway….she knows all of he kids names, but she always says to the kids “So how are THE CHILDREN today??!! HmmMM??”….and they all giggle, and say, “Gooood.” She’s a doll.

We knew she wasn’t home, because her car was not there, and she works long hours at her business in town, her own Veterinary Hospital. But…the kids enjoyed the fact that her cats were in the window watching us. lol. So at least SOMEONE saw her in her cool hot pink slicker, even if they did have fur!

That was the last of our May basket deliveries! Met with BIG groans and sighs by ‘the children’.

As we all climbed out of the van in our driveway, they were still talking about how they wish we had more homes to go to. They had SO much fun. WE ALL did. We just LOVE doing these kinds of things. Especially for other people. The whole process….planning surprises for others, shopping, making and baking things, and just having fun making someone’s day.

Here they all with mission accomplished: Basket-less!

Later on tonight, we got a call from the old woman at the end of our road. She left the sweetest message on our machine, expressing how wonderful that May Day gift basket made her feel, and the memories it brought back to her of the May Pole at school when she was a little girl. If you heard her sweet, sincere and shaky little voice, well….

That’s what it’s all about.

We can hardly wait until next year. I’ve heard the kids talking, and I can see this getting WAY out of hand next time.

But who cares??!!

Hope you all had a wonderful May Day!

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Photos of Our Easter Day Details – 2009 – Simple Easter Ideas

April 17, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

Just another short post, with lots of photos, from our blessed Easter Sunday. We hope they are simple Easter ideas, to share with you.

The kids woke up to these surprises on Easter morning. They were thrilled!

The kids, looking all dapper, just before heading out to a beautiful Easter morning Mass. {A} altar served, as usual. The kids were surprised with some gifts from friends at church, too. People can be so kind and thoughtful.

When we got home, we had our simple Easter dinner.

This is my plate, below. As you can see, I despise carrots, and I love asparagus. : )

I also forgot to put some potato salad on my plate before I took this photo, which I worked so hard on. lol

The Easter cookies {A} baked, and us parents helped decorate. It was tooooo FUN!

Chocolate Coconut Jelly Bean Cake, which was also more fun, to take photos of.

I took some individual shots of the kids too.

Easter is one of my very favorite holidays to take photos on. The spring-ish atmosphere, all of the colors around, and the sheer joy in the air, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, after a long and soul-searching Lenten season. But the truth is, I just always have my camera in hand, taking photos, because I love to, and I can. 🙂 I like to think this is a great place to share them, with you all, as they all are the details of our days, our life, and our joys. Just so you know…This blog will always have more photos, than wise words spoken. Because I definitely always have more way photos. lol

Our Giveaway winner, Regan, had received her home-made gifts. So would anyone like to see photos of what she received? I took lots of those along the way for that, too. Of course. It’s coming up!

Our family hopes your Easter was all kinds of Blessed and joyful, too!

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Creative Coloring Easter Eggs – Photos

April 13, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

Just sharing with you today some photos from our creative coloring of Easter eggs tradition. Our family here LOVES to color and decorate eggs. Do you? We could do it every day. It’s also one of my favorite things to photograph. We do hope you all had a lovely and blessed Easter! Our entire Triduum was so focused and beautiful. We especially enjoyed the services and Masses at our church throughout the Holy days, and our quiet Easter celebration together was pleasant and relaxing.

We will have more Easter photos to share tomorrow or the next day, but have a heavier than usual work week, so we just may not be so chatty until later on in the week, if we are disciplined. ; ) But we’ve got a long list of blog posts and plans on hand-so stick around! And Enjoy!

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