Proclamations From Our Stuffy Kingdom

A video, a few weeks old, just because you wanted to see my son try to read a book and sing songs with a banana in his mouth.   


We're classy.


(He has since learned to pronounce "horse" a little more like "or?", always said as a question, not a statement.) 

For the last three days, our entire family has been waylaid by a head cold.  We're choosing to be grateful that it hit all three of us at once instead of in phases.  


Million's current favourite game is to run around our counter after either BonAmi or I and say "I get you!"  Million also loves my yarns, especially pushing them around in his Tonka truck.

This is a turkish yarn that I picked up for free (with a stellar coupon.)
He likes to say "turkey yawn."
It will become some socks for him after I finish a little sweater. 

This is a strawberry lemonade scone.  If I were to write a list of one thousand gifts like Ann Voskamp, I'm pretty sure 996 of them would be about this scone recipe.    Or about Ruby Tuesday's strawberry lemonade.  

I've been reading a lot of books lately, but it seems that Michael is making much more progress in the book department than I am.  Probably because he only reads two books at a time....and I...read more than that.  

I like to have a buffet of books.  A Smörgåsbord.  A nibble of this, a tad of that. 

That way, when I've had an exhausting day, I don't have to delve into a parenting book.  Or I can choose to delve into a parenting book to find out what I did "wrong."  Ahem.  

Or I can just avoid that and read books that I'll need for the future. 

Or I can skip reading books and play mindless games of solitaire after bedtime until I fall asleep.

Things they don't tell you about parenting #72: Baby Beluga is scientifically proven to overstimulate mommies' brains after the 83rd time singing it in a row.  

Things they don't tell you about parenting #73: Raffi is on at least one mommy's hit list.

First Day Sledding and A Classy Family Movie

My little snow angel---who, for the record, will likely never have enough snow to suit his fancy.

I also might never have enough dry snow-pants to suit his fancy.

I've been having several "aha!" moments lately.
Like when I realized that I really don't appreciate Tuscan interior decor as much as I previously did.
And when I found out I enjoy the color white more than I thought I did.
(Thank you, Pinterest, for those insights into my deepest, darkest, soul.)

Another "aha!" moment.  I  read several articles about the "miracle" of coconut oil and how it is one of the only natural oils that doesn't require bile to break it down--thus, easing the digestion process, causing less formation of collagen, and also lowering your cholesterol.  It sounds like a hoax, doesn't it?  In any case, those who were proposing this said that coconut oil has the exact properties of butter in a 1:1 ratio while baking.  They claimed you could bake anything with it, and it would turn out.
I'm here to tell you at least THAT part of their claim is false.  I'm not sure about the less collagen; I haven't checked.  But bread made in a bread maker does not turn out tasting right when you make it with coconut oil instead of olive oil.  However, what my family calls Mississippi Mud cookies (a similar recipe to ours found here) DO turn out really well with coconut oil instead of butter, so some more experimentation is required.

And lastly, a "how classy we are" family movie.  Because it's been a while.  Michael references being "interviewed out."  That's life lately.

And please note (or don't note, for that matter) Million grabbing BonAmi's manhood at the beginning.  BonAmi's been a lot more tolerant of Million than we ever imagined.