The spooky 6-year old

Had a nice, but short visit from sister Cami this week.  Ate some yummy indian food and took her and Tanner on a hike, but we got sorta lost in very hilly terrain.  Miss my sisters.  Won't you please move close to me?!

And I suppose I was getting too close to being done with halloween costumes so far ahead of time, so decided to add another halloween project.  Gotta get my artsy fix!  I've started this halloween sheet mural because I want to do a photo booth of sorts at our ward halloween party.  This is half of it (it is 8' tall, probably 10' long).  I ran out of black paint, so will do the other half one night this week, but I'm pretty proud of it so far. 

Here are a few quotes for you from Ethan. Although three year olds probably say the funniest things ever, six year olds still make you laugh too.

(While having a pretend conversation on the phone..) "Hello? Is it the girl who wants to kiss Ethan again?"

(After sneezing into his sleeve) "What happens when Chewbacca sneezes? How does he get the boogies off his fur?"

(After my frustration with yet another book that Tanner ripped) "Why don't we just sell him? We've got lots of pictures of him."

Tow heads and more

Love

The schoolbus.  After taking a week of baby steps to get Ethan comfortable with walking between his school bus and his classroom, he is officially riding.  And it saves me about an hour every single day.  That's a big deal.  First grade rocks.  And he can eat school lunch.  It all just feels so real now.

Also, Boston Cream Pie by Amy Wade.  Here's the recipe if you don't have it. 

CAKE:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz)
4 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease and flour a two 9” cake pans.   Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.   Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.   Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.   Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 to 3 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.   The batter should look thick and well combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.   Bake the cake until toothpick comes out clean, 35-45 minutes (I am not positive on this cooking time.  You will need to check it as you cook it).   Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.   Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto the rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.  I cut off the brown bottom and sides but if you don’t it will be fine, just not as moist.

INNARDS:

1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix (5.1 oz)

1 1/3 c. milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

 Mix whipping cream with vanilla with electric mixer until it is the consistency of whipped cream, several minutes.  In separate bowl, mix pudding mix with milk.  Fold in whipped cream into milk and pudding mixture with spatula.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:

½ c. butter

1/3 c. powdered sugar
7 tbsp. cocoa (1 tbsp less than ½ c)
pinch salt
½ c. corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

 In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.  Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds.  Frosting can be used immediately or held in refrigerator.  When ready to use, microwave about 15 seconds so that it is just thin enough to pour on cake.

 When assembling, make sure cake is cool.  Then spread custard in center of two layers (put on very thick layer, do not press down on top layer of cake when you put it on).   Pour chocolate on top letting drip down sides.  The chocolate portion makes about twice as much as you will need, but I have not adjusted the recipe yet to the right amount.

Laugh

Carter's peculiar little relationship with his friend Abby.  His relationship with his friend Maverick is pretty simple.  They're buddies, they like to play and get into trouble.  Abby, not so simple.  For his birthday, Carter's single requirement for what he wanted on his cake?  Something to scare Abby.  Some examples he gave, "Dead skeletons, scary ghosts that pop out..." 

He wanted to write a little card for her this week and so I wrote down what he wanted, and this was it:  "I wish you will have a nice time all by yourself at preschool."  And he wouldn't sign his name.  Just from "your friend."  I guess even at 4, those between-the-sexes relationships are a little complicated.

Learn

Tow head.  Origin (quoted from wisegeek.com): "Certain fibrous plants such as flax or hemp can be woven into cloth, but only after the fibers have been painstakingly combed out and twisted into a usable thread. Part of the combing process yields a tousled mass of light yellow fiber known as tow, although many people mistakenly render it as toe. Because these pale and tangled fibers resemble fine blond human hair, the term toe head or tow head is often applied to natural blondes, especially young children."  Example:

He's just so sweet.  I love this little guy.

Little Loath

I don't have a specific loath from recently.  I am so happy to not have hives or be sick, it's hard to think of anything bad.  So, here is a general little loath from life. 

As a background, of my four siblings, one throws up when tired and over-exercised, one throws up from strong smells, and one used to throw up when eating in nervous situations, like dates.  I will name no names.  So, it should come as no surprise that my biggest pet peeve has to do with food.  I really don't like to listen to other people chew.  I mean most people don't like to listen to loud slurping, dribbly-chin eating.  But if I am sitting on the couch, and someone else is eating anything at all nearby, it bugs me.  I can handle it.  I've never gotten sick or anything.  It is just one of those weird things.  But here's one that doesn't gross me out from awhile ago, since I've been short on pictures lately.

 

Honeyless Hives

LOVE

My list of top coolest websites that can easily eat up all your time, in no particular order.  Please add any that will enlighten me:

Grooveshark.  I have found no song yet that is not on here.  I don't know if it is more shark than groove, but am happily clueless listening to any song, any time.

Pandora.  I know this is list is in no particular order, but this would be #1 if it was.

Etsy.  Take the taste test.  And you can search for things by color?  How fun.  Just don't have your credit card ready, or get a side job to cover it.

Wikipedia.  There really is never again any need to leave a bet on correct facts unsettled.

Flixster.  Mostly for me for previewing upcoming movies and showtimes, and getting the rotten tomatoes rating which I find quite reliable at keeping me from watching movies like Skyline ever again.   I know there is a never-ending quiz section, but am worried I will never play with my children again if I start that.

LITTLE LOATH

Itchy Hives. And going to the doctor. This is the first time I've gone to the doctor for me (other than the ob/gyn) since my junior year of college. That's like 11 years ago. I was on such a great streak! But the itchy bumps all over my legs and backs of my arms convinced me. And of course, only adding to my desire to never go again, they cleared up an hour before my appointment, and then came back about an hour after. So, it appeared psychosomatic, and I got no more information from the doctor than a google search provided. But I suppose now I'm assured I'm not spreading some weird disease to anyone. But I don't know what is causing the hives. The only suspect is NyQuil, since I took that in the last few days (yes, I've also been sick), and that is the only change I can think of.   Allergic to NyQuil?! What a cruel world that would be. As long as it's not wheat, dairy, or chocolate, I will survive.

LEARN

Every blog needs recipes.  So, here's one for you to learn, since I couldn't think something I learned this week.

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

This salad requires good garden-fresh or farmers market tomatoes.  Do not substitute ones from the grocery store.  It will not be the same.  I use black olives even though other kinds are more traditional for Greek Salad, but I just don't like the more pungent tasting olives.  Also, please adjust amounts as necessary; this was my guess at what I put in.  You may be more partial to tomatoes or something.  Also, it doesn't keep well.  So, enjoy immediately, or wait to mix it up and add dressing right before you eat.

Serves 4 as a large side dish

4 medium tomatoes, cut in large chunks
2 English (hot house) cucumbers, half peeled, and sliced
1 small can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 oz feta cheese, in large crumbles
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice (the juice from 1 or 2 lemons)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried or fresh oregano (or fresh mint or basil)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Put tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onion, and feta in large bowl.  Whisk remaining ingredients for dressing in separate small bowl, and then pour over salad, and gently combine ingredients.


LAUGH

That Ethan calls the liquor store, the liquorice store. I'm guessing since we buy candy there. Why correct him? He'll learn eventually.

Mom, a.k.a. Grease Monkey

As you have noticed, I have privatized my blog.  Once upon a time, when I was a dedicated journal writer, I wouldn't let Dylan read my journal.  Not because I had things I didn't want him to know about, just because I wanted to be able to write knowing he wasn't reading it.  In fact I would often read it to him anyway.  This is similar.  I don't expect perfect strangers to become stalkers of me and my children by reading and piecing together clues to our lives; I just am a bit more content knowing my audience.

LOVE

I got a girl's night out this week, AND a date with Dylan.  I am a lucky girl.  The highlight of the date was our trip to Castaways (the thrift store around the corner).  There was the inappropriate statue that Dylan convinced me to buy for Alissa as payment for babysitting.  And the pictures for sale for $.50 each.  I'm not talking about sweeping landscapes or mona lisas.  This was about 150 3"x 5" photos of random girls dressed up for prom, or a bearded man's trip to Tokyo in 1979.  Who buys that?  So, we each picked out photos for our "vacations" and Dylan's narration won.  My imagination was lost somewhere back when I was 5, after I wrote my crowning work, "O, The Family of the Banes".  Read it?  I've got it, if you haven't. 

LAUGH

Carter coming upstairs in the morning with socks on, and socks only.  Sorry no pictures, but it made me smile.

LEARN

I am supremely proud of myself for this one.  I installed the drive shaft on Dylan's '65 mustang during Tanner's nap.  And Dylan was not even home to ask for tips.  How cool is that?!  He asked me if I wanted to do it and told me how, and I gave him a "Yeah, right" look, but then thought about it, and did it. 

LITTLE LOATH

Hitting another snag on the entitlement process for our mini-storage.  The county changing the environmental impact determination and a series of neighbor complaints can't be good.  Someday we will stop pouring time and money into this thing, but unfortunately, that day is not today.

___

I didn't have any great pictures related to my post, but I do have some great pictures from our utah trip taken by my lovely sister Katie.  So, here they are:

Do I need a title every time?

My brother Ammon comes up with clever names for every single post that he does.  I am not sure how to do that without an unreasonable amount of brainpower devotion.  So, I'll have to work that one out.

LOVE

Garden = Happiness

At our place, we have no place for a garden; we've got concrete, some boring landscaping, and nowhere that even gets enough sun for pots of veggies.  So, we started one at our friends.  Thank you Pattersons.  Now, don't get me wrong, having your garden a half hour away from your house is not the best way to go about this, but it has been so wonderful despite our best efforts to make it fail.  We have harvested snap peas, zucchini, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and beets.  It has been so wonderful for all of us to dig in the dirt.  And we won't even need to pick weeds if Dylan keeps eating them!

LAUGH

Carter has picked up on the phrase "Finders Keepers."  While not necessarily one that I want to encourage in general, his usage of it has been awesome. For example, he says it when he finds this rusty bottlecap in a pile of dirt in some parking lot.  Love it.

LEARN

I've learned there are some there are some things I have gotten really good at as a mom, and others that are still a struggle. 

Good at: Doing absolutely anything with one hand.

Still struggling: Cutting my boys hair.  As Dylan says, I do haircuts like playmobile guys.  I realize I could take them somewhere and spend the money to have it done.  But the frugile qualities engrained in me by my mom will not be tampered with.  So, I will keep trying, and someday, my boys' hair will not look better before I cut it than after.

LITTLE LOATH

Everything is my house ends up like this.  While I suppose it leads to less materialism, it still hurts.

How this thing is going to work

Having my first post behind me, here are my ramblings on how I'd like to run this thing.  First off, an explanation on the title.  We had a girl's night for my friend Steph P.'s graduation, and as part of that Steph had to come up with a word to describe each of us.  And her word for me was Giggly.   And then my other friend Clarissa said her word for me was "From Scratch" (which I suppose is two words) because I often make things from scratch.  And I liked those two.  Although I don't giggle in my sleep like I did in college and when we were first married, and haven't laughed at my sister breaking her arm in a good many years, I do still apparently giggle a lot.

Okay, I really like to make lists.  So, I plan on listing the following for my life on a somewhat frequent basis:

Loves

Laughs

Learns

Little Loathes

I considered naming my blog The "L" word, but decided against it.  "Little Loathes" seemed the best appropriate word for the last category, because I think Loathes would be too strong.  I also wanted to add a "By the Numbers" to the list, which I realize doesn't have an L.

So, here is an example for this week:

Loves:

1.The Target that opened up in San Luis Obispo
2. Psych on Netflix

Laughs:

(Imagine the one-year old running around the house.  He did this all himself, and kept putting it back on when I took it off)

Learns:

1.  The word "recalcitrant."  Source: Jen.  Meaning: resisiting control.  Used in a sentence:  Daniel was recalcitrant to come learn jui jitsu with my boys from Karisa's brother, but did end of coming.  I see that word used lots in the future with my #2 boy.

2.
Source: Where else, wikipedia.  Meaning: the C-clef, the center of the swiggle is at the line on the staff that is middle C; typically used for the viola.  Used in a sentence:  I am transposing a song from C-clef to play my flute to in church.  I had seen this before, but didn't know how to read it.  That's right, you caught that?  I'm playing my flute in church.  I had that day a year or so ago where hiding my talents caught a snag when the fact I played the flute for 7 years slipped out with a Banfield in the room.






Loathes:

1.  Having Dylan out of town this, or any other, weekend.

2.  That no matter how many times I say, or yell, ONLY WRITE ON PAPER, nobody listens.  I think this is the tally for the day: Tanner's mouth, a book, Tanner's legs, Carter's sheet, Tanner's eye, Ethan's arm, Carter's arm.  I'm thinking of doing a pen and marker purge.    

Alright, and By the Numbers:  In the month of July, I saw 115 people related to me, not including those I live with.