The Blueberry Problem

At the beginning of July, we decided to head out and pick some blueberries with our boys. They were fairly good especially since this was the first time we picked our own produce at a farm. The boys had a blast hiding from us in the bushes and then yelling "boo!" whenever we said, "Where are the boys?"

We ended up picking almost two buckets worth of blueberries by the time the boys started talking about going home. Since I didn't have a specific amount of blueberries that I wanted, we decided to head back home to prep the blueberries for freezing.

On the way home, Beniah asked how much a blueberry weighed. So, once we were home, out came the kitchen scale, four ramekins, and Beniah's notebook. Tim had Beniah count out 30 blueberries per ramekin.

They then measured each group and wrote down the weights.

Then came the adding up of the weights of the four group of blueberries.

Beniah worked out the math problem in his head. I noticed that he figured out the math if he marched around the front room. (Mental note to self: Remember this when homeschooling starts in September!)

Elijah did not enjoy the math portion of the experiment, but he did like figuring out how the scale worked.

In the end, we figured out that one blueberry was approximately 1.8 grams.

And now you know a random fact about blueberries.

In the Month of May

"The world's favorite season is the spring. 

All things seem possible in May."

-  Edwin Way Teale

For All You Math Lovers!

Happy Pi Day!

Staying Up Late

   Tim recently was hired for an at home Tech support position with Amazon. It's been really nice to have him working from home and seeing him during his breaks and lunches. Unfortunately, his schedule is such that he can't help out with putting the boys to bed.  After a few weeks of putting them to bed by myself, I stumbled across a solution that would be fine to do once a week. One Wednesday night, we got home from Lifegroup with our church around 9:30 just as Tim was getting off of work.  The boys loved having their Daddy put them to bed. I loved the extra help. Tim loved seeing his boys after work.  It was a lovely night!  I decided to repeat that this past Friday (since there weren't any errands planned for Saturday).  So with plain and chocolate air popped popcorn, Veggietales Jonah movie, and blankets to snuggle in, the boys stayed up way past their bedtime so Daddy could see them and put them to bed. This just might have to become a weekly tradition.

Showers with a Chance of Picnics.

This past summer, the church that Tim and I attended had to shut it's doors, so we began looking for another church to attend and found Lifepoint. I started going to a women's Bible study on Thursday mornings and met a lady whose family quite suddenly was asked to adopt a precious baby girl. This past Saturday, some of the Bible study ladies and her family and friends threw a shower for her.  I decided to test out my cake baking and decorating skills on a new group of women.

Woops! Someone forgot the 'N' in Brooklyn.

I also got to pretend to be a photographer and took pictures of the shower.
This happens to be my favorite one of the bunch.

While I was away, Daddy was in charge. When I got home, I found Beniah having a movie rest inside a cool fort that Daddy made him.

Later, we decided to have a picnic dinner on the living room floor.

Why yes, apparently, we do allow our children to put their feet on their plates before dinner.

It was a wonderful way to end the busy day.

A Christmas Postponed!

Tim and I realized this morning, as we were cleaning up Beniah's vomit, that we were continuing an unhappy tradition. Christmas celebrations with my family are now postponed (hopefully, for only one day).  The plan was to do our own family celebrations and then drive down to Roseburg and have a weekend filled with family and fun. 

We still ate our traditional Christmas breakfast of Hungarian Coffee cake.

But instead of gift opening, we are watching Thomas.

Here's hoping that tomorrow will look brighter (and cleaner)!

Happy 28th Birthday, My Dear!

To celebrate one's 28th birthday, you must have a custom cake decorated by some young bakers who would rather eat the decorations then actually help the master baker.

A darling baby niece should be invited and loved on by everyone in attendance.

When receiving gifts make sure the gift giver dances and flaps his arms while you open the gift.

 Be forewarned, now that you are 28, your cake is now becoming a ball of flame. It is fine to use your cake to warm your hands.

Although, you may need help blowing out all of your candles.

Enjoy your piecaken. 

I love you my Tim Dear! I am glad you enjoyed your day.

The Devil Decorates with Non Dairy Whipped Frosting

     This weekend, my friend is celebrating her son's 5th birthday and asked me to make her a gluten free cake.  After scouring the internet and asking my gluten free friends and family, I finally was given a chocolate peanut butter cake recipe that my sister in law and her sister in law collaborated on. The original recipe was a chocolate banana cake recipe from the Cakemix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free, but I was told that peanut butter should work in place of bananas (fingers crossed). I have to say, "Yes, it does work!" I took a sample of the cake and it was delicious. So chocolatey! So peanut buttery! I am almost jealous of those with Celiac's disease.

Since, the theme of the cake was to be based off of Cars, I bought a little red car and designed the cake to look like a race track with a ramp.

Unfortunately, it looks like a shoe with a race track on top of it.

I am proud of the ramp with the little cave underneath it.

But, oh! the horrible shoe shape to the cake.

Chelsea, you must promise to eat it with your eyes closed and enjoy the delicious, ugly cake.