This is what I get for being on facebook

As stated in the title, I left Benjamin to his own devices as I was posting pictures on facebook. This particular day happened to be Tre's birthday, so the components to the cake, had, of course, not been properly put up (we are talking about me) . I totally spaced the fact that along with the step stool in the middle of the kitchen I had also left out the chocolate ganache. This was not missed by Benjamin. He even moved the step stool to get to it.



I didn't even notice it until he climbed up on me (while I was still on facebook, by the way) and he had actually climbed off and then, strangely, I smelled a very strong aroma that seemed very much like chocolate.
I looked down and he had covered me nearly from head to toe



I found him, covered even more, sitting straight up, but yet asleep, on the couch. I guess fingerpainting with ganache makes you tired.

Once the kids got home, I made them take a picture of all covered elements in once space

ganache is truly one of the best mediums to work with (at least in Benjamin's opinion)

Here is the finished product (in the refrigerator, thank you very much) - I guess I am not one for presentation
Because of practice and baseball games, we didn't actually EAT the cake until the next morning, for breakfast, right before school (yes, Bill Cosby would have much preferred my lack of nutritional fussiness) - you can tell by Tre's face how early it really is.

Happy 12th birthday Tre!!!!

Jesse's Demo

Not that anyone in the world ever views my blog, but my brother just posted his editing demo reel onto youtube. Which, of course, means I can EMBED it! That is just my favorite thing ever! So to all the invisible masses that don't exist who visit my blog - praise my brother and his super cool awesomness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Freedom isn't Free

Tonight was the last night that the traveling Vietnam Wall visited our city. I even forgot about it until Larry called me while he and Tre were at boy scouts and said that the troop was going to go visit it. I packed up the kids, drove the 7 seven blocks, (it would just take longer to walk) and found Larry there. It was not too many minutes later - you know, when Benjamin was walking up to the wall and touching the wall - what a perfect picture moment - that I realized that I forgot the camera. I just decided that it was too late and it would be yet another time that I forgot the camera. There was a museum set up and we all were walking around. Later on, Larry found me and said that the flag for his father's division was hanging in one of the exhibits. I ran to the car so I could get the camera.






By the time I had finished taking pictures of the division flag, Benjamin was, of course, asleep.

There are no cute baby touching poignant things pictures, but Benjamin is cute enough. I have very cute pics of the others, too.

She had been mad at us for most of the night, can you tell?
Well, Tre usually looks like this when a camera is pointed at him

My favorite is the one from the candlelight service


As we were about to leave, I got a snapshot at some of the event planners lighting the candles around our county veterans

Parade time

One of the fabulous experiences of living in a small town is that there are parades every time you turn your back. There is one in Spring, there is one for the 4th of July, there is one to celebrate the advent of sports (kind of like a homecoming parade) and there is one in December. I am probably missing one. I do have other pics of the last parade Peter was in and the one last December. But I am trying to be current, so these will go first






And since we were having the parade basically in honor of sports, I had to include a pic of Peter's first soccer game - what a pretty picture of a field - well that little red dot is supposed to be Peter

Quote of the Day

Tre: "Hey Mom, (while watching FOX news), what's IRS?"
"Internal Revenue Service"
"INternal or Eternal?"

Oh, Neal Boortz would be proud