The Weekend

Busy!  We did not stop this weekend.  If you want to take a nap, don't have kids, they expect too much. Things like a snack after school, and since they love those soft mall pretzels I celebrated the end of the week with a favorite treat.  Yes that is a full cookie sheet, those pretzels are Huge!

The main reason I make yummy homemade baked goods is because I want the kids to have these moments burned into their memory.  I want them to tell their kids (and friends, acquaintances, anyone who will listen) "my mom was the best, she always made the yummiest stuff when I was a kid, when I came home there were cinnamon rolls or cookies or homemade bread.  EVERYDAY!!.....and then we went and played in the backyard with our unicorns and ponies".  Of course I don't bake everyday, but we all know how memories go, and whatever my motives, homemade stuff gets made.

1. Saw a rainbow during a run.
2. Played Cranium with Ethan.
3. Took my kids, Jeannette's kids and a friend to Jamba Juice.
4.  My brother Adam's dog, they came for a short visit.

5.  Took the kids to a pet store. That bird was 2 grand.  Of course my kids begged for it but it was so loud and annoying I told them they couldn't pay me 2 grand to take it.
6.  Finished this book with the kids.
7. Made a Mississippi Mud Cake. RICH!!!
8. Made their Christmas list for the next 10 years at this toy store at the mall.

Let me wax poetic about this book.  A few years ago I came across a Gigantic book at the library.  It was the biggest book I had ever seen in the kids section and the cover as well as the drawing on the back immediately sucked me in.  I took it home and read all 550 pages to the kids in 1 rainy day all curled up on the couch.

About half the book was words, and half the book was pictures, both were mesmerizing.  It was wonderfully written and I can't say enough how much I loved the originality of the book.  The title of the book was 'The Adventures of Hugo Cabret'.  About a year later I heard they were making a movie of the book titled 'HUGO'.  Of course being in love with the book we had to see the movie.  It was spectacular.  Reading the book first and then seeing it come to life so fantastically on the screen was wonderful.

When I saw this book 'WonderStruck' by the same author, Brian Selznick, at Costco I was so tempted to buy it, but it kind of goes against my nature to pay full price for books.  So seeing it at the library last week I ripped it off the shelf before anyone else could.  Not that anyone else wanted it, but better safe than sorry.

In the same vein as 'The adventures of Hugo Cabret' there is both writing and beautiful drawings, twists and mystery, suspense and intrigue.  I love Brian Selznick's mind.  From his books it is apparent he has a fascination with the out of the ordinary and is a genius storyteller.

Let me also expound on the cake.  I have lovely visions of baking with the children, but what started out innocently enough with it being Ethan's turn to 'help' turned into Lila pouting on the sofa with me being the nurturing mother I am telling her "Lila, I know your pouting you need to get over it it's Ethan's turn",  I am super sweet like that. Oh have them work together?  Yeah we tried that.  I think that's where the phrase 'too many cooks in the kitchen' comes from.

Then the kids proceeded to use the leftover marshmallows for some sort of basketball game involving cups of milk all around the kitchen then they decided to make 'marshmallow taffy' in the microwave, their original recipe.  Good times at the Wallworks.

Oh & I stand corrected.