High-Low

Almost every evening at dinner, we play "High-Low", where we each get to tell about the high and low points of our day. The rules are you can only have one of each, and you HAVE to have one of each.  It's always interesting to see what the kids remember about the day and how their highs and lows compare to what I might think their highs and lows were.  Here are tonight's: Molly's high: Riding around in the snow in the Rhino with Dad. Molly's low:  Cleaning my room. Owen's high: Playing in the snow. Owen's low: Um....um....Maggie and Bodie are chewing with their mouths open. Maggie's high: Talking on the phone to Moshe. Maggie's low: When I was climbing so carefully up that mountain and then falling down in the snow, losing my mittens and then laying there screaming because you wouldn't pick me up. ***Disclaimer - I don't remember Maggie's low even happening, but apparently it did, because Maggie wouldn't ever lie.**** Bodie's high:  ****stares at me blankly, them purses his lips and bats his eyes**** Bodie's low: Ahhhh DAAAAAA!

Homemade Thin Mints

Yes, you read that title correctly.  No longer do you have to hunt down the little twerps in the green sashes and pay a bunch of money for cookies that seem to shrink every year, and decrease in number in the package every year.  Plus, these cookies are made with all natural ingredients.  No weird hydrogenated oils, no preservatives.  And they are YUM-O!  Homemade Thin Mints 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1/3 cup milk (any kind) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 tsp peppermint extract In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm. Preheat oven to 375F. Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate. Dark Chocolate Coating 10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate 1/2 cup butter, room temperature In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into. Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

Three

I love all my kids...equally.  Though perhaps not at the same time, but that's another post. I love Maggie.  She's spunky and sassy and fun.  She loves babies, animals, tattoos, her blankie, dark fingernail polish, chocolate, coffee, and Johnny Depp.  Yep, she's my kid.  She also love to cuss, and spit, and alternate beating up on her brothers.  She's cuddly and sweet, but she has quills and she won't hesitate to let them fly.  She's got an elaborate, explosive vocabulary.  Here's an example of a few Maggie-isms we've heard lately: "I'm gonna kill those cops....with a sharp knife." (we were watching the Santa Clause on Christmas Eve.  There's a scene where the police actually arrest Santa.) "Hee hee....get off of me before I rip your face off"  (said while I was wrestling with her on the floor) Me: "Maggie, pick up these stuffed animals."  Maggie: "Um, actually, I'm going to suck my thumb." "Where is my f*cking horsey?" Maggie is three, and as much as I LOVE my kids, I do not like three.  Three seems especially difficult for my little curly-haired spitfire.  Maybe we'll make it to four, but I'm sure we'll all be a little scarred, both physically (she packs a mean punch) and mentally (like the mortification that occurs when she lets fly with a "dammit" just as the priest is performing the consecration).  Maggie's always been demanding.  Remember this is the baby the neonatal nurses spent the night bouncing up and dow the halls when she was 12 hours old. This is the baby that screamed when strangers *looked* at her.  This is the child that has always, always been able to look a hole through you.  I'm interested to see what the future holds for her.