Baking With Mom

The Princess asked me to make some brownies.  I had gotten a new recipe in the mail with a catalogue that showed mint brownies with mint icing.  So I had Nick go get a few things at the store but didn't tell E so it would be a surprise.

After her rest time, I told her to wash her hands and come in the kitchen.  I had all the cooking supplies out, plus a chair for her to stand on to help.  She took one look and got a huge smile on her face "We're making Mint Brownies" she said. I asked her "Why do you think we are making Mint Brownies?"  She said "Well, Mom.  You Do have all the cooking stuff out!"  *said with the a long suffering voice, rolling of eyes, hands on hips* LOL

We had a nice time mixing up the brownies.  It was tough for her to wait until it was time to ice the brownies.  Every few minutes "Is it time mom?"  Anytime I made a move to open a drawer or cabinet in the kitchen (I was making diner) she'd say "WAIT MOM. I WANT TO HELP!"  

Finally it was time to make the icing.  After I put the icing on the brownies, The Princess got to lick the icing bowl.  What kid doesn't love that treat??  

After dinner, we cut the brownies and enjoyed some of the most delicious brownies I've made.  The icing was so good (mint flavored like the brownies) but I know this is not a treat I will make often.  Very fattening.  But you need to have treats like once in a while, right?

Swiffer Saturday and Other Stuff

When I was growing up, Saturday mornings were reserved for "The Big Clean."  My mom did all the housework (except dishes) during the week, but on Saturdays, it fell on us slaves dutiful daughters to do "The Big Clean."  I have three sisters (and a brother who is the youngest and didn't have to partake in the Saturday cleaning ritual) and each Saturday my mom assigned us a room in the house.  Floors were washed, furniture moved and vacuumed behind, windows washed, toilets scrubbed (still not my favorite cleaning task), and stairs were swept. 

Unlike my mom, I don't have four slaves dutiful daughters to help.   Since it is just E and I on the weekends, and she is only four, the majority of the house work obviously falls on me.  But there are some things she loves to do:  folding towels and sweeping the floors with the Swiffer.  Oh how that child LOVES to Swiffer.  Give her the Swiffer and a cloth and you don't hear from her for an hour.

After Swiffering, and folding the bath hand towels and wash cloths for me, it was time for some fun.  The other day I gave E an easy Word Search to do and she was hooked.  We have a coloring book from Animal Planet that has all kinds of, well, animals (pretty smart, aren't I?) in it, but also Word Search puzzles in it.  So E and I spent some time doing two Word Search puzzles. 

All that hard work tired her out, so it was time to watch a little tv.

We just finished making these oh-so-delicious egg-free Oatmeal Cookies.  Yummmmmy!    We will make sure to eat all of them  save some for N when he gets home from work.

That's what we've been up to today.