tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11674849462520976622024-03-12T19:46:08.656-07:00Sugarplum Landthe Home and Adventures of Liliana, Vera Rose & Family Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-5239073451840657682013-07-28T20:01:00.001-07:002013-07-28T20:01:48.055-07:00The Lord's Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Liliana, after a few difficult days battling Lyme disease, was well enough tonight to say her prayers as her usual happy self. She's still super tired and more into quiet activities close to me these days, but hopefully the worst is behind us! The 2nd video is simply for laughs: I thought I'd have her say the Lord's Prayer a second time in case it sounded better but all I recorded was a very distracting little sister bouncing on her bed.</strong></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-29201883319840265502013-07-21T02:46:00.002-07:002013-07-21T02:46:47.100-07:00The Shore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="96" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m4y791wk83U/UeurnwIPgsI/AAAAAAAAC_I/A5A2wTPSulg/s320/Ocean+city+2013+326.JPG" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 459px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 3091px;" width="63" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-74423758140627973992013-06-02T12:19:00.002-07:002013-06-02T12:19:59.021-07:00The Fairy Garden<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The Fairy's Garden</span><br />
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After much anticipation and prolonged planning, the girls have their own miniature fairy garden on the back balcony. And one of the most beautiful aspects of it is how many people were involved in this one little pot. The girls see it and after Liliana states her oft quoted, "I love my fairy garden," she then will mention how Granddad brought dirt for her garden and how Maren and family gave her the fairy and trellis and little toadstools and how Auntie Em painted the wooden toadstools for her, etc, etc. I'd be hard put to think of someone she knows that is not somehow involved by her way of thinking!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We used the toadstool houses we made last summer (out of unfinished birdhouses from a local craft store) for the fairy's house, sticks tied together with string and wire for fencing, shells from Grandma's for additional fencing, shade plants (my favorite is the scotch moss) for grassy knolls and shrubbery (thanks to gardening money for Vera's birthday from her Plank grandparents), some fairy furniture, and some tiny rocks to make our own little fairy land. I could easily see myself spending a zillion more hours to make bridges, houses and more for an entire fairy forest but I will make myself wait until they are older and can hand-build them along with me! Welcome to our little fairy spot!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-78108067155486472992013-05-31T10:50:00.001-07:002013-05-31T10:50:20.275-07:00Psalm 23 recited by Liliana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We have been reciting Psalm 23 as the girls ready themselves for bed in the evening. After saying it together for about a week, Liliana also loved doing it on her own so I videoed this clip--it's not the most polished example of how well she knows it, but I love the active stuffed frog involved in the scene.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-67698161976724203472013-05-31T10:27:00.002-07:002013-05-31T10:27:15.282-07:00The Old Rugged Cross (The girls are still singing of Easter!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-47513342628695714192013-05-30T19:30:00.000-07:002013-05-30T19:30:34.548-07:00Baby Robins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKN-w6R728E/UagJHeKQUlI/AAAAAAAAC8A/ZHAyFolMi7U/s1600/bird+eating6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKN-w6R728E/UagJHeKQUlI/AAAAAAAAC8A/ZHAyFolMi7U/s640/bird+eating6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DMgm9AOvrk/UagKH2BjjMI/AAAAAAAAC8k/trNN4jEOnWI/s1600/%232+Bird+nest+feeding+and+%233+egg+may+30th+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DMgm9AOvrk/UagKH2BjjMI/AAAAAAAAC8k/trNN4jEOnWI/s200/%232+Bird+nest+feeding+and+%233+egg+may+30th+004.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We've been thrilled this Spring to have baby birds to watch in two Robins' nests. The first nest was on a low basement windowsill. The second nest is on our back balcony flowerbox. Just as the first nest emptied of its occupants, the 2nd nest began hatching. Any day now, our 2nd nest will empty--but guess what I found today in the first nest? A NEW EGG!!! So our watching will continue. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjzoKZJHKK8/UagJKXiWPGI/AAAAAAAAC8I/3OeIpilM5O0/s1600/bird+eating8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjzoKZJHKK8/UagJKXiWPGI/AAAAAAAAC8I/3OeIpilM5O0/s320/bird+eating8.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We have all learned so much about the growth and habits of robins from our daily observation and I'm just so thankful that they chose our house for their nests. I have already documented the nests in albums on facebook, but for those of you who aren't there, I thought I'd share a few photos from the mother robin feeding her babies today. The babies are 13 days old today so almost ready to leave the nest. The mother robin now allows me to be two feet away when she feeds her birdlings, so today I took advantage of her trust by taking these photos:</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-60125194551299646012013-05-30T12:39:00.003-07:002013-05-30T12:39:48.620-07:00Garden Beginnings<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seedlings transplanted, additional seeds planted, and now we watch while the garden grows...</span></strong><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-58572542700043949522013-05-29T21:11:00.003-07:002013-05-29T21:11:44.998-07:00Our Garden House: Peas, Beans & Happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQmWLhqqxSo/UabOC0PGXVI/AAAAAAAAC5g/XFUXHMrsu90/s1600/Love+this.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQmWLhqqxSo/UabOC0PGXVI/AAAAAAAAC5g/XFUXHMrsu90/s640/Love+this.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDvnEQrT65s/UabNoeJClcI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/Drdr78AOEus/s1600/Vera+in+garden+house-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDvnEQrT65s/UabNoeJClcI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/Drdr78AOEus/s400/Vera+in+garden+house-002.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vera Rose in her gardening gear.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Last week I assembled Liliana and Vera Rose's garden play house with high hopes that it will be gorgeous by August! Basically, the house is a metal frame covered with netting for plants to grow on, up, and over to create a magical, fairy-like enclosure for summer play. The hardest thing about gardening is waiting for the plants to grow! I want it covered and opulently flowered NOW but the girls are much more patient than me and are happy to play in it as it is--in fact they love peaking through the mesh. </span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDt1hdxDg8g/UabQeQtd5HI/AAAAAAAAC5w/m6_V2MaP0to/s1600/peas+and+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDt1hdxDg8g/UabQeQtd5HI/AAAAAAAAC5w/m6_V2MaP0to/s320/peas+and+beans.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We started vegetable seedlings of peas, beans, zucchini, and squash (among others) over a month ago so those currently surround the garden fort, plus seedlings of Black Eyed Susan Vine and Egyptian Pea Vine. Plus, I planted more Black Eyed Susan Vine and another decorative vine's seeds around the fort after it was staked, and have started additional seedlings of the same indoors this week so hopefully this will be a no-fail experiment to cover the play house with plants! We shall see. Gardening is such an adventure--I love its mix of predictable (we know when the seeds should germinate, how many days until it will bloom, etc) and unforeseen (we never actually know for sure what will survive in our garden!). I will keep you posted as to how our happy fairy garden grows...</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-47013328616176439812013-05-05T19:19:00.000-07:002013-05-05T19:19:36.380-07:00A Birthday Crown for Vera Rose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QI-75hpevbQ/UYcSuz0NgqI/AAAAAAAAC4w/Oo0WJSSkQVI/s1600/Vera's+birthday+crown,+lace+dress+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QI-75hpevbQ/UYcSuz0NgqI/AAAAAAAAC4w/Oo0WJSSkQVI/s640/Vera's+birthday+crown,+lace+dress+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, that's yogurt all over her face!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My sister makes exquisite pieces of textile art and the crown above is a gorgeous example of her work. Made of wool felt which has been painstakingly hand appliqued with a Hawaiian applique technique, and covered with delicate floral emboidery, the crown is already loved by our whole family! Vera Rose and Liliana have both been wearing it today and Vera Rose will cherish it forever. How thankful I am for a sister who is not only talented but also generous in her time to find a way to make this even though she has three little boys of her own!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-59459933607909165332013-05-02T21:53:00.001-07:002013-05-02T21:53:47.371-07:00Our Robin's Nest: Three Little Birdlings on our Windowsill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This year, a robin kindly built her nest on a low outside windowsill. First the nest appeared, all cleverly made with thin twigs and even some of our purple Easter grass that migrated from one of the girls' Easter baskets. It seemed a long wait, but sometime in April (after peaking into the nest a thousand times!) I spied four gorgeously bold jade-colored eggs. Magnificent.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tragedy of some kind met one of the eggs because I found a partially broken and very empty egg in the grass below the nest. Then, on May Day, two little baby robins hatched from their eggs! Liliana and Vera Rose shrieked with delight when I held them up to see the fascinatingly bald, ugly/beautiful birds with their tiny necks, their huge closed eyes and their spindly wings as the birdlings peacefully slept. When the birds move, their heads bobble and collapse quickly. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 1st: Day 1: two robins hatch from eggs and huddle next to the remaining egg.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 1st: Day 1 with two birds hatching.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> By Day 2, the remaining egg had hatched overnight and all three birds periodically stopped their rest to raise their heads and open their beaks to swallow the entire sky. Tiny chirping sounds can now be heard, not even drowned out by the noise of the worried mother chirping at me from the nearby lilac bush. These hatchlings are so tufty and grotesque yet so meticulously detailed and lovely. I feel so privileged to watch them grow and so delighted to share such a wonder of Creation with Liliana and Vera Rose. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2nd: Day 2 of life<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-29668736581318591622013-05-02T21:18:00.000-07:002013-05-02T21:19:25.390-07:00It's Rhubarb Season!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlD81-dLnHY/UYM3T_mo90I/AAAAAAAAC3A/B9q9B_WzWpU/s1600/Robin+day+2+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlD81-dLnHY/UYM3T_mo90I/AAAAAAAAC3A/B9q9B_WzWpU/s640/Robin+day+2+011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFbIyYd_68Y/UYM19XMXt6I/AAAAAAAAC20/rpebxHEDon0/s1600/Robin+day+2+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFbIyYd_68Y/UYM19XMXt6I/AAAAAAAAC20/rpebxHEDon0/s320/Robin+day+2+012.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Tasting my Mom's delicious strawberry-rhubarb pie yesterday awoke me to the beautiful fact that the rhubarb was ready! Yay! Today, after picking some stalks of rhubarb, I made rhubarb custard and rhubarb chutney. The custard did not meet my expectations (I am always trying to recreate the rhubarb custard I had in Piccadilly Circus, London while a teenager on an European tour with my Aunt Debby and my brother. There they called it "souille" but I have no idea how it is actually spelled just like I have no idea how to make it but I do know it was phenomenal!). The <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/turkey_rhubarb_chutney.html" target="_blank">rhubarb chutney (the recipe is from Eating Well Magazine)</a> was deliciously exactly what I expected since I'd made the recipe last year, but instead of serving it hot with sauteed chicken, I served it with pita sandwiches and then later had it with low-salt wheat thins which was also great. I'm thinking goat cheese would be a fun addition too when eating with crackers. I love, love, love rhubarb. I am going to plant some rhubarb of my own this year and hopefully try freezing some for next winter--that way I can have more rhubarb!</span> </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-91511479087970375652013-05-01T22:12:00.002-07:002013-05-01T22:13:56.650-07:00A Pokey Little Puppy Party<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6KEg00mFGE/UYHte9GG36I/AAAAAAAAC0g/sfkKQCaAyyM/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6KEg00mFGE/UYHte9GG36I/AAAAAAAAC0g/sfkKQCaAyyM/s640/Poky+Party+etc+042.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Since Vera Rose loves all things "puppy dog" these days, I decided to have a Pokey Little Puppy themed party since that would give the party a fun literary twist since it's a classic children's book. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aXIHEglqwds/UYHuHbOXwLI/AAAAAAAAC08/O-Sk6H3F3ec/s1600/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aXIHEglqwds/UYHuHbOXwLI/AAAAAAAAC08/O-Sk6H3F3ec/s320/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+022.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> First I made two <em>Pokey Little Puppy</em> banners using teal/white-colored floral scrapbooking paper and two old and ragged <em>Pokey Little Puppy </em>books. Usually I simply cringe at the idea of ripping a book apart (perhaps that is the former librarian in me) whether for repurposing or </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">debundling for dealers to make a profit on old prints. I simply hate books to be torn apart BUT this </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rOEGiJQgp04/UYHu2Dga07I/AAAAAAAAC1M/Brr81MUp8xs/s1600/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rOEGiJQgp04/UYHu2Dga07I/AAAAAAAAC1M/Brr81MUp8xs/s320/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+015.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efiHph3cGRQ/UYHuyvpT8zI/AAAAAAAAC1E/57mYkh8TtKA/s1600/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efiHph3cGRQ/UYHuyvpT8zI/AAAAAAAAC1E/57mYkh8TtKA/s320/Poky+puppy+banner+and+TP+019.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">was the first time I had no qualms about it since there are a zillion copies of <em>The Pokey Little Puppy</em> around and it is still very much in print. I picked the two books in the worst condition that I could find, then cut the pages into a shape with a rounded bottom. I glued that (using YES paste) onto the scrapbook paper, added a hand-made and curled paper fringe and ribbon and these were the quickest and cheapest banners I've yet made. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ywS5lTh_wxw/UYHvOvN9mXI/AAAAAAAAC1k/x23JS6vzLvc/s1600/Dog+gifts+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M-OSe2-1C48/UYHvAmHcTuI/AAAAAAAAC1c/p6foAawzCPI/s1600/Pokey+little+puppy+cake+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M-OSe2-1C48/UYHvAmHcTuI/AAAAAAAAC1c/p6foAawzCPI/s320/Pokey+little+puppy+cake+007.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I made the birthday cake based on the <em>The Pokey Little Puppy's </em>cutie pie head. It was made of pound cake with chocolate cake spots, then iced with buttercream and Choco-satin frosting.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6KEg00mFGE/UYHte9GG36I/AAAAAAAAC0g/sfkKQCaAyyM/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCJIgdsjFAQ/UYHrQn_dz0I/AAAAAAAACz8/XQNddzsf0GU/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCJIgdsjFAQ/UYHrQn_dz0I/AAAAAAAACz8/XQNddzsf0GU/s320/Poky+Party+etc+015.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My Mom made the food counter perfection by making bowls of Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Custard (both foods that the Pokey Little Puppy and/or his siblings ate in the story). The chocolate custard was reaaaaallly good. Moms always enhance anything they touch and parties are no exception!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U2sZqpt2kpQ/UYHruotjveI/AAAAAAAAC0U/sd9uUNSN1QM/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U2sZqpt2kpQ/UYHruotjveI/AAAAAAAAC0U/sd9uUNSN1QM/s320/Poky+Party+etc+037.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> For paper products, <a href="http://www.birthdayexpress.com/" target="_blank">www.birthdayexpress.com</a> sells party supplies based on the Golden Books collection. <em>The Pokey Little Puppy</em> was just one of four classic Golden Books highlighted by the paper products so not all items sold featured the puppy. Luckily, the invitations, the party hats, and the dinner plates all centered on Pokey. The napkins featured all four books on a different quadrant so I unfolded and refolded all the napkins so the Pokey Little Puppy would be the picture seen.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOdohp6X3hM/UYHt4HWxfPI/AAAAAAAAC00/NXN3hwJ7Yq4/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOdohp6X3hM/UYHt4HWxfPI/AAAAAAAAC00/NXN3hwJ7Yq4/s320/Poky+Party+etc+002.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> I also took some wooden toy fencing and taped onto the fencing the cutouts of the signs featured in the book (cut from the books I used to make the banners).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The theme was continued with some of the gifts that Vera Rose was given: both sets of grandparents gave her a Pokey Little Puppy puzzle (with a different image on each, of course) and a Pokey Little Puppy stuffed toy so my girls were thrilled (because yes, Liliana has claimed one of the puppies and they sleep next to them every night). Such fun puppy items (I especially love the Holztiger dogs).</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYRbvKw1Mdw/UYHxLPK9A1I/AAAAAAAAC14/q51F3o1l5KU/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYRbvKw1Mdw/UYHxLPK9A1I/AAAAAAAAC14/q51F3o1l5KU/s320/Poky+Party+etc+012.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ai2UGji07tY/UYHxGmCyzqI/AAAAAAAAC1w/qhPsV8tzNdU/s1600/Poky+Party+etc+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ai2UGji07tY/UYHxGmCyzqI/AAAAAAAAC1w/qhPsV8tzNdU/s320/Poky+Party+etc+010.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The party itself was very special because family gathered to celebrate my little 2-year-old and that brought such joy to me. I have never seen Vera Rose so happy as she has been throughout her little birthday celebrations. She has smiled and squealed and clapped so much! She seems to have entered a very joyous season in her little life (about a year ago I was concerned because she often seemed fussy and unhappy) so I am praising God and giving thanks for this sweet little girl who has found contentment and joy as she explores this extraordinary world full of doggies, books, parties, and family. And it's a very, very beautiful world.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-59108310437166384322013-04-18T21:17:00.000-07:002013-04-18T21:17:14.908-07:00Happy 2nd Birthday, Vera Rose!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czhDxzezKcE/UXDEjkWbz_I/AAAAAAAACzQ/hRPDlPfkwC8/s1600/More+Vera+Rose+birthday+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czhDxzezKcE/UXDEjkWbz_I/AAAAAAAACzQ/hRPDlPfkwC8/s640/More+Vera+Rose+birthday+004.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-55010284198347535742013-04-18T11:06:00.001-07:002013-04-18T11:08:02.746-07:00Puppy-doggie Birthday Luncheon<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kiHvd2YItc8/UXA0X1eHeNI/AAAAAAAACyQ/T05hrlLeniE/s1600/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kiHvd2YItc8/UXA0X1eHeNI/AAAAAAAACyQ/T05hrlLeniE/s640/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+017.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puppy dog mini cupcakes, using Junior Mints for noses and Grasshopper cookie halves for the ears.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vdlz98dsSc/UXA1dDGzMGI/AAAAAAAACyo/kSA-BLarxBw/s1600/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vdlz98dsSc/UXA1dDGzMGI/AAAAAAAACyo/kSA-BLarxBw/s400/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMPyvq7x6o8/UXA1klqT27I/AAAAAAAACyw/YQpKD7212_A/s1600/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMPyvq7x6o8/UXA1klqT27I/AAAAAAAACyw/YQpKD7212_A/s320/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+024.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> For Vera Rose's birthday, we had a special friend, Sadie, come over to play, play, play, to read the Pokey Little Puppy, and to dine on grapes, dog-bone shaped graham crackers, and puppy dog cupcakes. A happy time for a little doggy-obsessed girl (although she's terrified of close-up real dogs, she adores them, watches them from the window all the time and calls for them to "come back!" when they continue on down the street.)</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-85765972007817019632013-04-18T10:54:00.002-07:002013-04-18T11:07:20.314-07:00Pink Plaid Scottie Dog Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_s0jZZgmgcQ/UXAxqPElcxI/AAAAAAAACxo/x82yO1Zom8A/s1600/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_s0jZZgmgcQ/UXAxqPElcxI/AAAAAAAACxo/x82yO1Zom8A/s640/Vera+Rose's+2nd+birthday+cookies+and+Sadie+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> For Vera Rose's birthday treat for her Tiny Tots playgroup/class, we made sugar cookies with pink plaid frosting (lots of drizzling!) using my Mom's vintage scottie dog cookie cutter.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-31087593077103863282013-03-31T14:09:00.000-07:002013-03-31T14:09:05.923-07:00Happy Easter!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy Easter!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GFOuLMUcWQU/UVigaSUCufI/AAAAAAAACw0/FF7ugNbhjD4/s1600/Easter+morning+2013+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GFOuLMUcWQU/UVigaSUCufI/AAAAAAAACw0/FF7ugNbhjD4/s640/Easter+morning+2013+003.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJrRYxyk0Hc/UVigeqa3CcI/AAAAAAAACww/VIXEWJNXWL0/s1600/Easter+morning+2013+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJrRYxyk0Hc/UVigeqa3CcI/AAAAAAAACww/VIXEWJNXWL0/s320/Easter+morning+2013+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Vera Rose discovering her Easter basket!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GTnmfVtwGQ/UVigvd7ZmaI/AAAAAAAACw8/zKZDy4T7Nbg/s1600/Easter+morning+2013+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GTnmfVtwGQ/UVigvd7ZmaI/AAAAAAAACw8/zKZDy4T7Nbg/s320/Easter+morning+2013+010.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8QkFs_QP9_Y/UVigzSWyLCI/AAAAAAAACxI/M43k3QjgFMw/s1600/Easter+morning+2013+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8QkFs_QP9_Y/UVigzSWyLCI/AAAAAAAACxI/M43k3QjgFMw/s320/Easter+morning+2013+008.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Liliana and Vera Rose eagerly put on their Easter attire (they have been begging to wear their poofy yellow dresses with the sprigs of pink roses for weeks). Liliana had hung hers right beside her crib yesterday and gazed at it with a smile the whole time I read the <em>Bunny Brown and Sister Sue</em> book at bedtime last night. The girls were very excited to head to church, but first they discovered the Easter Bunny's hiding spots for their Easter baskets. Plus, they noticed that the Easter Bunny had eaten the carrots, spinach, and cabbage we left out for him on the front step. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6BlQbqJ288/UVig3Rz56zI/AAAAAAAACxQ/lJeiRaT9L3w/s1600/More+Easter+2013+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6BlQbqJ288/UVig3Rz56zI/AAAAAAAACxQ/lJeiRaT9L3w/s320/More+Easter+2013+011.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Well, unfortunately we arrived late to Sunday School this morning, only to discover that hats, gloves, and purses had been left laying in our living room but Daddy saved the day and drove back home to get them. My favorite part of Easter is always singing the grand hymns of Eastertide so it was with much happiness and rejoicing that I held Vera Rose on my hip today in church to sing "Up from the grave he arose..." as we looked at each other and sang with all our hearts. Happy Easter!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-18324585860300334812013-03-30T11:23:00.001-07:002013-03-30T11:23:26.099-07:00Hot Cross Buns<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Recipe for Hot Cross Buns</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQsS27PqyD8/UVcsAVjE9wI/AAAAAAAACv8/BqSUbowjQsM/s1600/Hot+cross+buns+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQsS27PqyD8/UVcsAVjE9wI/AAAAAAAACv8/BqSUbowjQsM/s640/Hot+cross+buns+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hot Cross Buns:</span></strong><br />
3/4 cup warm water<br />
1 T yeast<br />
3 T butter, softened<br />
1/4 cup white sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 egg<br />
1 egg white<br />
1 egg yoke<br />
3 cups flour<br />
2 T water<br />
3/4 cup dried currants (optional)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2IG3qjR83bE/UVcsKgc0hAI/AAAAAAAACwI/jC_TWVloqvA/s1600/Hot+cross+buns+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2IG3qjR83bE/UVcsKgc0hAI/AAAAAAAACwI/jC_TWVloqvA/s320/Hot+cross+buns+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unbaked buns with piping, raisin, & egg glaze, just prior to baking.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOHZH94CzkI/UVcsAH7-7XI/AAAAAAAACv4/RHg5f-oGB3w/s1600/Hot+cross+buns+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOHZH94CzkI/UVcsAH7-7XI/AAAAAAAACv4/RHg5f-oGB3w/s320/Hot+cross+buns+010.JPG" width="213" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Decorative Cross</span></strong><br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup powdered sugar<br />
dash vanilla<br />
1/4 cup milk or enough for piping consistency<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Directions:</span></strong><br />
Combine warm water and yeast and let rest for 10 minutes.<br />
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In mixer bowl, combine white sugar, salt, butter, egg, egg white, and half of flour. Add yeast mixture and rest of flour. Add currants if desired. Knead dough. Place on floured surface and let rest 10 minutes.<br />
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Shape into balls and arrange on greased pans. Cover and raise in warm place until doubled (40 minutes). <br />
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Combine ingredients for Decorative Cross. Place in piping bag and pipe cross shape on buns. <br />
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If desired, add part of a currant or raisin to center of cross design.<br />
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Combine the egg yoke and 2T water and glaze buns.<br />
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Bake at 375 degrees for 10-20 minutes.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-4584986039904818932013-03-30T07:29:00.001-07:002013-03-30T07:40:25.285-07:00Easter Bunny Books<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Easter Bunny Books from Generations Past</span></strong> </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iss6pdK-_vo/UVbtkVPjBuI/AAAAAAAACu4/e8SUlUoO8u8/s1600/Easter+books+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iss6pdK-_vo/UVbtkVPjBuI/AAAAAAAACu4/e8SUlUoO8u8/s640/Easter+books+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B0uAN-gTBTA/UVbtsZ-Jg4I/AAAAAAAACvA/OTN8OuWBg1U/s1600/Easter+books+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B0uAN-gTBTA/UVbtsZ-Jg4I/AAAAAAAACvA/OTN8OuWBg1U/s640/Easter+books+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liliana sets up her "Easter parade for Ann Eliza" based on Lois Lenski's The Easter Rabbit's Parade</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x7w-DvnVC3o/UVbtuVJtbJI/AAAAAAAACvI/jx9pB90QbNk/s1600/Easter+books+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x7w-DvnVC3o/UVbtuVJtbJI/AAAAAAAACvI/jx9pB90QbNk/s320/Easter+books+010.JPG" width="320" /></a> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Usually I eagerly tote the dozen or more holiday picture books for that month's holiday up from the basement toy room at the start of a new month, but this Easter I sort of dragged my feet on it and thought maybe I'd wait until next year for the Easter Bunny books. Why? Well, while my Easter books are lovely gems, they tend to be old, out-of-print books which, while beautifully illustrated and charming, they also tend to be long and verbacious and I wasn't convinced that my 1 and 3-year-old had the patience to sit through them. Plus, their from-another-generation stories tend to include parts I would not personally have written into a sweet children's book. For example in Lois Lenski's (most famous for her <em>Cowboy Small</em> and other "Small" books) <em>The Easter Rabbit's Parade</em>, the Rabbit is not all-sweet and Eastery but seems to stem from the wily rabbits in the old trickster tales of yore. Also, the character, Greybeard the Goat, is always bleating contrary statements in bold lettering throughout the book. So, it was with trepidation and reluctance that I unearthed the Easter books a little over a week ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Let's just say I should never underestimate children. And also that unusual/undesirable character traits are not necessarily a hindrance to good storytelling, in fact, Liliana's favorite Easter book is probably the long <em>The Easter Rabbit's Parade!</em> and Greybeard the Goat? Well, she laughs non-stop at all his interjections (especially when I use a different voice for them). And the Easter Rabbit is not necessarily the hero of the book since he's a bit vain and cocky, but the story itself is one of selfless sweetness where the barnyard animals decide to "make Easter for Ann Eliza," the little girl in the story. Each animal gives up something (feathers, eggs) or makes something (a basket, etc) to surprise Ann Eliza on Easter morning with an Easter Parade (the parade of barnyard animals bringing her an overflowing Easter basket). The illustrations are splendid, some of my favorite. Liliana is so taken with the book ! And yes, I do skip over a couple places in the book (when the Easter rabbit has his comeuppance for his vanity due to purple egg dye splattering over his face, the other animals call him "Freckleface" and although it's satisfying in a story way, I don't like Liliana hearing any making fun of people [or animals] so I skip that for now). And my happy reward for bringing out the old gems? Liliana is so taken with <em>The Easter Rabbit's Parade</em> that she regularly uses her Holztiger wooden figures to set up the Easter parade and act out the story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Some of our favorite old Easter Bunny gems:</strong></span></div>
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<em><strong>The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes</strong></em> by Du Bose Heyward (another one of Liliana's favorites--and such sweet illustrations of children bunnies!)<br />
<em><strong>The Easter Egg Artists</strong></em> by Adrienne Adams<br />
<em><strong>The Easter Rabbit's Parade</strong></em> by Lois Lenski<br />
<strong><em>The Egg Tree</em></strong> by Katherine Milhous (a Pennsylvania Dutch book with the German Easter egg tree complete with traditional designs; seem open in one of the photos above)<br />
<em><strong>The Golden Egg Book</strong></em> by Margaret Wise Brown<br />
<em><strong>Grandpa Bunny Bunny</strong></em> by Jane Warner (this is an all-time favorite book from childhood where bunnies paint everything from shadows to brilliant sunsets)<br />
<strong><em>Happy Easter</em></strong> by Kurt Wiese (a short sweet book about hatching colored chickens--and the rabbits have their baskets strapped to the backs which I adore)<br />
<strong><em>Two Hundred Rabbits</em></strong> by Lonzo Anderson and Adrienne Adams (not actually an Easter book but a bunny book)<br />
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PS. We like these books too, and no Easter rabbits seen here!:</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-33857285872863478602013-03-29T13:56:00.002-07:002013-03-29T14:03:46.612-07:00Easter Happiness<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6b87x5z3PY/UVX_PJArIgI/AAAAAAAACuo/EzGRBow4Kfk/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6b87x5z3PY/UVX_PJArIgI/AAAAAAAACuo/EzGRBow4Kfk/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+013.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Easter Tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jellybean-topped cupcakes</td></tr>
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It's been such a great week, with special services such as the Maundy Thursday Love Feast (with feetwashing and communion) and a Cross Walk in our local town (someone carries a large cross down the sidewalk while the rest of us sang Easter hymns [I so love listening to my girls sing hymns!] as we walked/strollered and stopped periodically for devotionals led by local clergy from various churches). This week has also been full of reconnecting with old friends, sled-riding with my girls, seeing the first robin of the season perched outside my kitchen window, and contemplating how special life is. Whether you are fasting today, attending special services, or fulfilling your work responsibilities, I hope today and this Easter are extremely meaningful for all my loved ones. I am so thankful for my God, my church, my family, my friends. It is so wonderful how holidays tend to remind us of that!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmCeHroN1cc/UVX-_ClC_KI/AAAAAAAACuY/KNgrvJa-vAc/s1600/egg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmCeHroN1cc/UVX-_ClC_KI/AAAAAAAACuY/KNgrvJa-vAc/s320/egg3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egghunt happiness at a good friend's home!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-79483511775655011382013-03-29T13:39:00.002-07:002013-03-30T06:13:35.948-07:00Easter Egg Banner<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Easter Egg Banner</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ppd-NsHeB4E/UVX4_ajVTfI/AAAAAAAACuA/G0_5owi7_ug/s1600/at+Nicole's+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ppd-NsHeB4E/UVX4_ajVTfI/AAAAAAAACuA/G0_5owi7_ug/s640/at+Nicole's+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the large central egg has a face!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Liliana and Vera Rose watercolored some egg-shaped paper last week at Grandma's, then we received a fun Easter package from Brian's Mom which included Color Wonder paper and markers (which I am now truly a fan of since I think it's teaching Vera Rose marker etiquette--she immediately tried to stealthily color on her arm, her hand, the wall and was so disappointed when nothing appeared! Love that it will only color on the Color Wonder paper because it gives me one artistic medium the girls can use without being fully monitored by me every moment!) so we did what anyone would do the week of Easter with new markers: we made a temporary egg banner! Even Brian added a carefully colored joke egg to the banner yesterday (and by joke, I mean that it has the head of David Hasselhoff on it, something no egg should have to face). Liliana is so proud of her egg banner and my favorite part of making it was seeing her efforts to duplicate my Easter symbols. She's definitely old enough to make some art!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mine are on top; Liliana's are the bottom row : carrots, cross, tulip, & palm branch.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-74489193033616529982013-03-25T21:16:00.001-07:002013-03-25T21:16:59.625-07:00Palm Sunday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Palm Sunday</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93fGQY2-SJw/UVEgVpMOtZI/AAAAAAAACtg/TLop-c6M_Ik/s1600/daffodils+and+palms+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93fGQY2-SJw/UVEgVpMOtZI/AAAAAAAACtg/TLop-c6M_Ik/s640/daffodils+and+palms+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2SSiVSdWIT8/UVEgCKZV0AI/AAAAAAAACtI/v_aU5o9VRRE/s1600/Palm+Sunday+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2SSiVSdWIT8/UVEgCKZV0AI/AAAAAAAACtI/v_aU5o9VRRE/s640/Palm+Sunday+002.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4V_TkYXlAEk/UVEgGR1hIyI/AAAAAAAACtQ/RLh3cHzmWN8/s1600/Palm+Sunday+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4V_TkYXlAEk/UVEgGR1hIyI/AAAAAAAACtQ/RLh3cHzmWN8/s320/Palm+Sunday+009.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsVJzkDNOeg/UVEgLwA5UKI/AAAAAAAACtY/JcuPZr1OiXY/s1600/Palm+Sunday+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsVJzkDNOeg/UVEgLwA5UKI/AAAAAAAACtY/JcuPZr1OiXY/s320/Palm+Sunday+003.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Liliana and Vera Rose both really connected with the symbolism of the palms this past Sunday for Palm Sunday, or at least really loved their palm branches (which they called "Pom Poms"). After a Sunday School lesson specifically about Jesus riding into Jerusalem over the palms as people called "Hosanna," the girls were enchanted to find palms strewn down the aisle when we entered the sanctuary for the worship service. Then, for each member of our family to receive palm branches as we exited, was true delight. Liliana was thrilled to not only carefully place her palm branch in a vase once we arrived home, but to find pictures of Jesus and palms in some of our Easter books. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Unlike Christmas, I think Easter and the Lenten season hold so much depth and mystery and tragedy and sacrifice that it seems beyond the understanding of toddlers in so many ways (although I know I must never underestimate the brilliance of children because their faith can far exceed adults) that it was bliss to see the girls connecting with the palm branch, learning that God is great and worthy of worship and praise.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPTUfbqPnzo/UVEgXIWGfOI/AAAAAAAACto/UvYo-psQUWo/s1600/daffodils+and+palms+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPTUfbqPnzo/UVEgXIWGfOI/AAAAAAAACto/UvYo-psQUWo/s320/daffodils+and+palms+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-39183775019642548932013-03-22T15:08:00.000-07:002013-03-24T17:35:30.781-07:00Easter Eggs made with Onion Skin Dye & Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Easter Eggs Wrapped in Flowers </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>and Cooked in Onion Skin Dye</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jtUl73PiY64/UUzHYz4_2yI/AAAAAAAACrM/8wUvLestDWU/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jtUl73PiY64/UUzHYz4_2yI/AAAAAAAACrM/8wUvLestDWU/s640/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3pDQRAi4Fc/UUzHkDXZiRI/AAAAAAAACrU/Oxg0vr1vaCo/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3pDQRAi4Fc/UUzHkDXZiRI/AAAAAAAACrU/Oxg0vr1vaCo/s640/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top left: Carnation wrapped; Top right: Fern; Bottom left: Baby's Breath; Bottom right: Daisy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg wrapped in Baby's Breath</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Zod-wIm5Kc/UUzIljJpMbI/AAAAAAAACrs/qs2bgsqqPU4/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Zod-wIm5Kc/UUzIljJpMbI/AAAAAAAACrs/qs2bgsqqPU4/s320/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VV0ihQ8zo2E/UUzIvjPyeRI/AAAAAAAACr0/Vo2ULwHxp90/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VV0ihQ8zo2E/UUzIvjPyeRI/AAAAAAAACr0/Vo2ULwHxp90/s320/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+012.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3suOBKq280/UUzI0OKT9yI/AAAAAAAACr8/aAh095eZU6g/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3suOBKq280/UUzI0OKT9yI/AAAAAAAACr8/aAh095eZU6g/s320/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+014.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15T-ohpGnmk/UUzI3gp5FqI/AAAAAAAACsE/0e3TFxJOMn4/s1600/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15T-ohpGnmk/UUzI3gp5FqI/AAAAAAAACsE/0e3TFxJOMn4/s320/Easter+onion+skin+dye,+try+%232+015.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> After wrapping cut flowers (carnation, daisy, baby's breath, and fern) around a raw egg (using quilting thread), I placed the wrapped eggs in a pan and covered them with the onions skin dye (the outside skin of two onions that had been boiled about 20 minutes) that I had previously used for <a href="http://sugarplumland.blogspot.com/2013/03/onion-skin-egg-dye-with-leaf-patterns.html" target="_blank">dying eggs with leaves yesterday (click here for that post). </a> I then boiled them for at least forty minutes (and I'm surprised that my eggs didn't crack because they were only supposed to cook for twenty minutes but yes, I forgot about them!) The result was much darker than the eggs from yesterday. This is such fun!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-22285489317105579122013-03-22T14:54:00.003-07:002013-03-22T15:10:46.841-07:00Onion Skin Egg Dye with Leaf Patterns<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Onion Skin Easter Egg Dye with Leaf Patterns</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center egg was dyed with onion skin dye.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> This week, while dying Easter eggs at my Mom's house, I decided to try a dye technique that I read about in one of Liliana's Easter books: Onion Skin Dye. Liliana helped me peel the skin off of two onions and place them in a saucepan. Then I added water and boiled it for a while. (The original directions called for boiling the eggs in the dye combo for 20 minutes but our eggs were happily already pre-boiled by Grandma before we arrived so I simply let the onion skins simmer for about 20 minutes with no eggs in it). </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4HO6HMDejk/UUyojRuFmiI/AAAAAAAACoo/g6bdHlUF5N0/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4HO6HMDejk/UUyojRuFmiI/AAAAAAAACoo/g6bdHlUF5N0/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> Since there were no live leafy plants anywhere in the snowy outdoors (at least that weren't frozen and crunchy!), I used some branches from my Mom's houseplants, wet them, wrapped them around the eggs, tied them to the egg with some string, then set them in the onion skin dye. The eggs soaked for about 3-4 hours, then Liliana and I removed the leaves to find some fun textures. Such a pretty hue, reminiscent of freshly-laid Barred rock chicken eggs and with such an interesting yet subtle texture because of the leaves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> This technique would be fun to use some year when we have a later Easter with some green plants outside so that the girls would have the fun of scavenging for leaves as part of the process. This was so simple to do, that I'd love to try some other natural dyes while making Easter eggs!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-62588709741029097102013-03-22T12:56:00.001-07:002013-03-22T12:56:42.898-07:00Springtime Easter Fruit Cups<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Healthy Fruit Treat for a Happy Easter</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ex5pjbD5o4/UUxigB9jYsI/AAAAAAAACmc/3Y7LJEilDfc/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ex5pjbD5o4/UUxigB9jYsI/AAAAAAAACmc/3Y7LJEilDfc/s640/Easter+snacks+and+more+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zKILVEE4nIM/UUxil5L0E_I/AAAAAAAACmk/LDWyGP-vG6Y/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zKILVEE4nIM/UUxil5L0E_I/AAAAAAAACmk/LDWyGP-vG6Y/s640/Easter+snacks+and+more+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-IvVDUxFFQ/UUxi4OiPY4I/AAAAAAAACm0/7KlYpzpgHyM/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-IvVDUxFFQ/UUxi4OiPY4I/AAAAAAAACm0/7KlYpzpgHyM/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+018.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66p_Stk4Wrg/UUxjDA5LH9I/AAAAAAAACm8/O74O0-BL8FQ/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66p_Stk4Wrg/UUxjDA5LH9I/AAAAAAAACm8/O74O0-BL8FQ/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+008.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Part of our "Healthy Easter Treat" for the girls' Easter party at Tiny Tots playgroup preschool was a medly of watermelon and cantalope cut into Easter shapes (a chick, a cross, a tulip, and a butterfly), then set in a spingtime cupcake paper (which I had lined with a flower-shaped foil cut-out so that the fruit juice wouldn't soak the paper). It was a bit tricky to cut the fruit into layers conducive to cutting out shapes (but the only real "tricky" part was trying not to have a ton of scrap left over). The rest was super easy because cookie cutters cut through melon quite well and my girls had such fun nibbling on the excess. </span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSDoGAma88s/UUxiyvTg48I/AAAAAAAACmw/JciW3g9nIKk/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSDoGAma88s/UUxiyvTg48I/AAAAAAAACmw/JciW3g9nIKk/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+017.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Luckily, the night I worked on their Easter treats coincided with their Tuesday night playtime/Spanish exposure with my dear cousin Rachel so I was able to work with less distractions (you know, those fun everyday interruptions like diaper changes, the "I'm thirsty"s, etc which seem to add an extra hour to every project attempted!). I am so thankful that my girls have the opportunity to play with 25 children each Wednesday morning, that they have such a wonderful teacher, and that I, too, have the chance to visit with highschool classmates of yore! Life is such fun these days!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167484946252097662.post-3780427800533793992013-03-22T12:56:00.000-07:002013-03-22T12:56:03.080-07:00Easter Bunny Snack<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Healthy Snack: Easter Rabbit Treat</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qCyOuSt-lJY/UUytvhGC6dI/AAAAAAAACpA/psQK56rqmPk/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qCyOuSt-lJY/UUytvhGC6dI/AAAAAAAACpA/psQK56rqmPk/s640/Easter+snacks+and+more+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yUjD_y_cJNU/UUyt1WQPvBI/AAAAAAAACpI/v9Nnqnhtipo/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yUjD_y_cJNU/UUyt1WQPvBI/AAAAAAAACpI/v9Nnqnhtipo/s640/Easter+snacks+and+more+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UaMAcHl_ht4/UUytuuXpU9I/AAAAAAAACo4/wGCY42VrRl4/s1600/Easter+snacks+and+more+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UaMAcHl_ht4/UUytuuXpU9I/AAAAAAAACo4/wGCY42VrRl4/s320/Easter+snacks+and+more+011.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> While perusing Pinterest for springtime heathy snacks, I noticed that using a cookie cutter to create an Easter rabbit shape out of bread could be lots of fun for my girls to eat and "simple" to make. I hoped to embellish the Easter bunny's face with carrot whiskers, raison eyes and nose, and cheese ears (using a miniature egg cookie cutter to cut out the cheese). </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LYuuq7J6Rpk/UUyuD9fDrSI/AAAAAAAACpQ/OhDhhBTOsXM/s1600/Easter+program,+pretzels+and+peeps+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LYuuq7J6Rpk/UUyuD9fDrSI/AAAAAAAACpQ/OhDhhBTOsXM/s320/Easter+program,+pretzels+and+peeps+021.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The finished product looked more like a mouse than a rabbit to me, but maybe I just stared at whole-wheat veggie rabbits for too many hours. By the time I was done creating 25 Easter bunnies, too many hours had elapsed for me to think that they looked anything but rediculous and also they started to seem like a bit too elaborate to be worth it (although I did remind myself that I had once made my nephew Darius an entire two-foot wide pirate ship complete with a hand-carved cheese treasure chest with blueberries inside for his own one-person daycare snack so at least it wasn't as over-the-top as that!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Part of what ended up making it take so long was realizing that I needed to cover each rabbit with damp papertowel so that the bread and cheese wouldn't dry out before we arrived at the party--and they still were nice and moist the next day but the stiff decorative cupcake holders did mishapen a bit from the dampness. All in all, I think they turned out fine but if I did it again, I think I would do it for a smaller group so I didn't have to create quite so many--or at least I would buy grated carrot so there wouldn't be so much chopping. Although, that said, I'd probably make them again next week if my girls wanted them :) </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958969353982489357noreply@blogger.com0