Girls like dinosaurs, too!

Princess dinosaur Hat
Auntie Sarah gave Big N a dinosaur hat when he was three. He still loves this hat and it miraculously still fits now that he is almost 8. Little N tries to steal it on occasion, which never ends well for her. However, I can see her point. What is not to love about wearing spikes on your head?


Big N wearing his hat
When I spoke to Little N about making her a dinosaur hat, she was very specific on the color combination. It had to be pink. It had to be purple. It had to be all that and made for a princess. It also could not have purple spikes.

Little N helped me make the pattern. We traced Big N's hat and added a 1/2 inch seam allowance. She then cut out the pattern pieces for me. I opted to sew it when she was in bed to surprise her this morning.


Little N was thrilled! I skipped the velcro chin closure because it covers her ears just fine. I think it looks a little more feminine as it is.

Apple Pie Jam

This jam is awesome! I make this from the apples off of our tree in the fall. The jam tastes like an apple pie in a jar. It is delicous on toast, delightful on ice cream and to die for as part of your glaze on an easter ham.

Enjoy the recipe! It is best made with fresh apples from a fruit stand. Stick to the apples that are good for baking. Golden delicious and Brauban apples are wonderful in this jam.

Apple Pie Jam

About 8-10 fresh apples
2 Tablespoons real lemon juice (no bottled juice!)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 box pectin
4 Cups white sugar
1 Cup packed brown sugar

Peel, chop and finely dice the apples. There should 4 cups of apples. Pack the diced apples into a 4 cup measuring cup. Add water to the apples to fill space between the apples and fill to the 4 cup line on the measuring cup.

Put the apples, the water, fresh lemon juice into a large pan. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the pectin and stir. Bring the mixture to a full boil. When you can no longer stir down the boiling apple mixture, add the white and brown sugars. Stir continuously and return to a full boil that you can no longer stir down. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

Ladle into hot, clean jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a paper towel and cover with a lid and ring.

Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Very Persuasive

Little N is in half day kindergarten. I pick her up just before lunch to drive her to day care on the days Pete is unable to. On some special occasions, we have taken her out to lunch. It is fun and I enjoy it because I know we won't have this opportunity next year.

One day when I picked her up, she asked, "Mommy, can we go out to lunch with Daddy?"

I wasn't able to that day and told her no. She asked again, "Please Mommy, can we go out to lunch we Daddy?"

I repeated my earlier answer and told her no. She then got very upset with me. "Mommy! That isn't how it works! You say no, I talk you into it and then you say yes!"

It appears I am a push-over.