Some quiet time

I am not posting as much as I used to. I'm not sure what changed, I definitely have things to say. I am feeling as if I am talking to myself these days. Perhaps it is working by myself that is doing it. I am spending so much time alone that I don't need to write notes to myself, too. I need to find an outlet that involves real people.

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.

Little N starts Kindergarten

Little N is now in Kindergarten. She was very excited to start on her first day. Her big brother walked her to her classroom, even though she already knew how to get there.

She got right down to business when her teacher suggested that she go play, she did just that! She also was very good at picking up her toys (never her favorite task at home).

She was fine when I left, barely looking at me as she said good-bye. Little N was very happy to finally follow her big brother's footsteps to kindergarten.

When I picked her up, she had a great day. Her only complaint was that she had to leave.

The Mysore Bird Sanctuary

We visited the bird sanctuary in Mysore. Here you get on a boat and float around the lake looking at the birds. I wasn't surprised when no one had to wear a life vest, but it was pretty obvious why you wouldn't need them when you saw the giant crocodiles.

Photos from Mysore

I really have to thank Renee for lending me her camera when I saw something and then letting me have copies of all the photos on her camera. Thanks, Renee!

This was some ladies selling flowers and fruit outside a temple in Mysore. We didn't go into the temple due to the lines of thousands of people. It was super crowded.


The grounds at the summer palace of Tipu Sultan.



Renee, Wes and I at the summer palace



The final resting place of Tipu Sultan and his parents.


A carpool.