Jack loves his dad.  He wants Durel to hold him, play with him, take him outside, and hang out and be dudes with him.  

Durel loves his Jack.  He chooses the best outfits for him, plays ball with him, teaches him how to pet the dogs (gently!) and shows him the ropes.

I love seeing them together.  As the wife and the mama, it brings joy to my heart that I can't describe.  I can't wait for my guys' adventures to include fishing, camping, ball games, and all that other guy stuff that they'll do together.

To this wonderful dad and his wonderful Little Dude, a heartfelt happy Fathers' Day.

To the dudes, big and little,

Heather

I Like Lists.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm pretty Type A.  I like my lists.  I like coffee.  I like how coffee helps me to mark things off my lists.  Anyone who knows me also knows that I'm pretty fond of a Little Dude named Jack.

So, these two things converged when I found a list on Savvy Source the other day, entitled, 100 Things to Do Before Kindergarten.

Yes.  We have a long time before kindergarten.  But do you know how quickly time flies when you have a little one?  We'd better get started.  Each item we mark off will be a blog post.

Is eating veggie stix in the car on the list, Mom?

Here's the list, in no particular order.

1. Go to the zoo

2. Visit a farm

3. Go on a hike

4. Play with kittens or puppies

5. Catch a frog

6. Make a gigantic mess

7. Help clean up a gigantic mess

8. Master the monkey-bars

9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves

10. Try ice-skating

11. Go sledding

12. Make a snow-man

13. Blow bubbles

14. Plant seeds and watch them grow

15. Have a pillow fight

16. Jump on a big bed

17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house

18. Hang out in a tent

19. Spend days at the beach

20. Build sandcastles

21. Go fishing

22. Go out on a boat

23. Play with blocks and puzzles

24. Read the classic picture books

25. Read a classic chapter book

26. Check out library books with their own library card

27. Get a passport

28. Carve a pumpkin

29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they've grown)

30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal

31. Bake cookies and cakes

32. Help plan their own birthday party

33. Go to the circus

34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday

35. Play hide-and-seek

36. Play a board game

37. Do nothing whatsoever all day

38. Try a sport

39. Watch a sporting event

40. Learn to swim

41. Be tickled in hysterics

42. Paint and draw as much as desired

43. Have the use of scissors and glue

44. Display artworks and other creations around the house

45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)

46. Play with clay

47. Pick flowers

48. Climb a tree

49. Gaze at the moon and stars

50. Toast marshmallows

51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone

52. Watch a sunset

53. Learn to write their own names

54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers

55. Learn their parents' full names

56. Set the table

57. Clear the table

58. Help wash the dishes

59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes

60. Watch fireworks

61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show

62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home

63. Face paint

64. Dress up in costumes at will

65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart

66. Have a dance party

67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park

68. Invite friends over to play

69. Get to know grandparents

70. Play with cousins

71. Become attached to a wonderful preschool teacher and/or babysitter

72. Learn the name of our president

73. Know the name of their town, state and country

74. Be familiar with a map of the world

75. Listen to music from many different ages and genres

76. Hear and learn words from a different language

77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling

78. Grow their own vegetables

79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)

80. Take a road trip

81. Draw a self-portrait

82. Slurp alphabet soup

83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork

84. Pick apples

85. Star in a home movie

86. Learn a magic trick

87. Try different hair-dos

88. Practice writing letters

89. Practice counting to 100

90. Make up stories

91. Send a letter

92. Receive a letter

93. Ride on a merry-go-round

94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children

95. Learn the value of coins and bills

96. Keep a piggy bank

97. Try a musical instrument

98. Have a heartfelt wish granted

99. Have a heartfelt wish denied

100. Receive a million (make that a billion) heartfelt kisses and hugs from their parents!


It's going to take a while.  But I'm in.  Stay tuned!


Hope you like lists, too,
Heather

Cookie Madness

This weekend, Durel and I were happy to have lots of family over to celebrate an early Father's Day.  My parents were there; Durel's parents were there, and my lovely brother-in-law and sister-in-law were there.  Durel boiled crabs, bridging the cultural crab gap between the Lousianans and Marylanders present.

[Quick cultural note:  In Louisiana and in Maryland, it's a delicacy and tradition to eat blue crabs.  However, the methods of preparation are different.  In Louisiana, the crabs are boiled in a big pot outdoors with spices in the water, as well as corn, potatoes and other "groceries."  In Maryland, the crabs are heaped with Old Bay seasoning and steamed.]

Maryland, baby.

Anyway, the crabs were great, as were the side dishes I prepared -- potato salad, garden pasta salad, and for dessert... Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies.

Yup, you read it correctly.

I found the recipe online and could.not.stop.thinking.about.it.  So, I made them when I knew I would have plenty of people to share them with.  They were a hit, to say the least.  They were delicious.  They are highly addictive and very rich.  Jack had half of one as a dessert treat after dinner, and his look says it all:

mmm...cookies...

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe from Jenny of Picky Palate

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.  Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie.  Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie.  Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough.  Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies.

A couple of tips:

• The recipe calls for more flour than normal for the chocolate chip cookie dough.  That is right.  You want the dough to be stickier, so that it's easier to mold around the Oreos.  
• Use Double Stuff Oreos.  Don't be afraid.
• Use wax paper or parchment paper to line your cookie sheet.  These bad boys are sticky.

Make them!  And tell me how you love them!

Heather

Uncle Dagwood

Uncle Dagwood and Aunt Cristy are total rock stars.  They live in Albuquerque.  They blog funny, interesting, and crafty things.  They do things like ride their bikes from Vancouver to San Francisco.  (That was last year.)  This year, they rode their bikes from Albuquerque to Austin.  (Yay!)

Jack is completely smitten with Uncle Dagwood.  He thinks he's the coolest thing since, well, Costco pizza.  (And you know how he feels about that.)

Stop taking pictures of us.  We are bonding.

So, if you teach me to ride a bike, I'll teach you peek a boo.

Hope this weekend finds you filled with family you love and impromptu peek a boo,

Heather

Yo.

Yesterday, Jack got his 15 month shots.  Shot day is not fun day, even if they do use Scooby Doo bandaids.

When we got home from the pediatrician, I decided to try something.  I just started DVRing Yo Gabba Gabba, based on the enthusiastic recommendations I've gotten from mama friends.  "Hey," I thought, "it can't hurt, right? I'll see if he likes it."

Um, yeah.

I know that's a horrible picture.  I know he's standing too close to the television.  I also know that he was giggling, dancing, clapping, and babbling in response to what I can only describe as a Dee-lite video for toddlers.

Yo Gabba Gabba = seriously good stuff.  It's so cool that even The Flaming Lips go on it.

Hope today finds you giggling, clapping, and eating your snacks,
Heather