I really need to be better about keeping up with this! My mother is right: the days are long but the years are short. What she could have added is: the moments are many and fleeting! Seems like I turn around and the boys are into something new.
For example, the other day, thinking about things to do that would provide Jason with both learning and fun, I suggested we make bread. We did. We made Honey Whole Wheat bread. Jason measured and stirred and then he and his brother pounded (kneaded) the bread. Jason had the bigger bowl and worked diligently to get the flour incorporated and the bread springy. Xander had a smaller bowl and a small piece of dough. He enjoyed thumping and throwing it but that got old and so, being Xander, he dumped the dough out onto the table and set the bowl on his head... I had stepped into the kitchen to check the oven and when I turned around, there was Jason, working away, and a metal headed monster beside him. "OH XANDER!" I wailed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He laughed and took the bowl off. Jason, still absorbed, barely glanced at me as he commented "You know Xander. Everything is a hat." Xander was delighted with this insight and has been repeating it, periodically, for the past few days.
We put the bread to rise and when it had, I showed it to Jason, before we baked it. It came out just fine except that the oil was a bit off. So we dumped the oil and bought new. We will make sourdough next -- I just need to get the starter set up as it has to perk for 24 hours...
Our next adventure in cooking was pie making. Tom just recently was told that one of his ideas has been patented. He is justifiably proud and we wanted to do something to celebrate so, while he was off at work on Tuesday, the boys and I went shopping. We made him a special celebratory dinner -- Steak Au Poivre (using Jacque Pepin and Julia Child's recipe), Broccoli with Hollandaise (Jason made -- and ATE most of -- the hollandaise), potatoes, and a home made apple pie. I made the crust, Jason the filling. I have promised Jason that he can make the next pie crust, and so he will, tonight, when we make 'Stargazy Pie.' While dinner was cooking, the boys made their father big posters that said 'Congratulations Daddy' and 'We are proud of you.' Tom was delighted. The posters are still up in the door. Dinner turned out well and Xander, who is not much of a steak eater, decided that he REALLY liked Steak Au Poivre. He kept gobbling it down as fast as I could cut it up for him. He also liked pie crust. Jason just liked pie.. Should be interesting to see how they do with the pilchard pie tonight, hmmm?
Jason is fascinated by math these days. All on his own, he is going around figuring out addition problems. 'MOMMY!' he will announce with loud excitement 'DO YOU KNOW WHAT 1+3 is?' Obligingly, I say 'No.' 'FOUR!!!!' and he is off to do another 'Math Problem' in his 'Math area.' I have found numerous sites on the web where one can obtain 'worksheets' with math problems -- including mazes etc -- and have been printing them up for him. He loves the stuff and just keeps going at it. Xander, watching his brother, wants to 'do school too!' Of course, in Xander's case, 'doing school' means sharpening pencils... Yes, we have a pencil sharpener and after he saw his brother sharpen pencils (something Jason enjoys mightily... I think sometimes he writes just so that he can dull the tip and need to sharpen it!), Xander decided that that was the coolest thing going and HE wanted to do it. Sigh.
On a sadder note: the snow is gone. We are back to the old Seattle Standby, rain. On the other hand, we have promised to take the boys up to the Sno-park this weekend. That should be great fun. And with the snow gone and the roads MOSTLY clear, the boys and I can once again venture out to the parks... we just have to dress warmly since the temperatures, while not freezing are still mighty cold.
Opps, here boys yelling. Bye!
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