Dough Boy

Harry takes his job monitoring the creation of pizza dough very seriously. It's an activity rife with lessons on being careful and listening to mom. The reward for good behavior is a bubbling hot cheese pizza. If only he were as interested in using the potty.

The Other Body Paint

A spate of rainy weather has meant lots of indoor art projects, some of them exceptionally messy, which is always the sign of a successful project. As you can see, this one was a virtual thrill ride.

Veggie Tales

Calling all moms! I want to share a fool-proof recipe for cauliflower that Harry and Charlotte (and even veggie rebuking adults) love. It's basically a faux mashed potatoes dish. And it is SO delish. And about 3,000 times healthier than potatoes. Charlotte can't get enough of it. This is definitely a case where photos speak loudest.

1 head of cauliflower, cut up and steamed until it's super mushy (about 8 min.)
2 Tbsp margarine
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper

Just put the ingredients into a food processor, pulse until it looks like and acts like creamy mashed potatoes. Then eat (and if you're like Charlotte, finish by licking the bowl).

Calling Glenda the Good Witch

Think flying monkeys and ruby slippers. Harry dug a hole so big at the park that his feet appeared to be in a different zip code than his upper body. It looked much like the death scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East. We enjoyed a very long, soapy bath after this excavation.

St. Patrick Cometh

The corned beef is in the fridge, ready for an eight-hour slow cook, the treats are ready for preschool (we get the honor of bringing Harry's class cookies on Thursday) and we're pumped for an Irish good time following Alexandria's always entertaining St. Patrick's Day parade, which was made even more grand (gotta love those Shriners!) with the Paba and Zaza in tow.

Putting on the Ritz

It's a lot of work and not enough play for mom and dad who ventured out last week to attend the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra Ball at the Ritz. We were photographed with our friends Shawn and Cassie McLaughlin who we met five years ago when we bought their home, a real double stroke of luck. It was a fun night, despite an ever-sinking bodice on my gown. Must become better acquainted with double-stick tape.

Snow Daze

It was indeed a snowy trip to Maine. And thanks to some heavy-duty snow boots (thank you LL Bean), coats, hats, oodles of mittens (Harry chucked a log into the outdoor fire and with it, his gloves, which came flying off in concert and landed in the flames. Good aim, buddy).

After many walks in the woods, trips to the little shed (not for spankings) behind the Barnes' cabin, which Harry was certain was a caboose, an Alpaca farm, and a very nice overnight stay in Portland, where we checked out all the tugboats on the Wharf-- as harry would say "WE-ARE-HOME."

And looking forward to spring.