"Anna-isms"

Let me start by saying that Anna is now a happy and healthy 7 1/2 year old. Anna is our one of a kind, and I thank God every day for her!

When Anna was born she was very sick, she fought everyday for a week to be here with us. What a tough nut! Anna's strong willed personality served her well as a baby and I know it will take her far in the future! However right now, that strong willed personality can sometimes butt heads with me, the older strong willed personality. I would not trade her for anything, she is definitely my daughter!

Anna is a lot like me, but also very much her own person. Let me tell you a little bit about her... Anna's creativity amazes me everyday. She is always drawing or writing. She is very interested in fashion, she loves to play pretend and dress up. Anna is always up for a little performance, she is our favorite drama queen! Anna loves to do crafts, make projects, and make a mess. You can often find at least one "bag of crap" around the house. These are similar to the "bags of crap" you'd find on Woot - you never know what will be inside, usually just Anna's latest "collection" of random things carried around from room to room. I have noticed there is always at least one animal inside, maybe a stuffed animal or a Littlest Pet Shop animal.

Anna loves ALL animals, you name it, dogs, cats, horses, mice, frogs, fish, worms, and bugs. With Mason's allergies we do not have a real pet, but we do have a little dog that dresses up for the different seasons and holidays. This week I found Anna carrying her around and talking to her.

By the way the dog's name is Stella, in case you stop by and find her outside when she is not supposed to be!

Anna is a real sweet heart, she cares about what people think and her feelings are easily hurt. When Anna is upset you can often tell because she will leave you a note. These notes are often left on the floor outside her bedroom door. I will have to ask her if it is okay to share them with you. In the past I shared a few with my Mom, and Anna was not happy with me! She said "I did not give you permission to publish my feelings!"

As Anna's writing has developed so has her vocabulary. She will use lots of big words appropriately and loves it. Sometimes, however, she is not quite sure what a word means, and she will ask. Let me tell you a little story from this weekend, one of our many "Anna-isms."

Sunday my parents were coming over for dinner, but earlier in the day Anna and I met up with my Mom to do a little shopping. We met at Tuesday Morning in Panorama Plaza. I had to make a return so I asked Anna to stay with Nana (that is what we call my Mom). Nana and Anna walked through the store a little and started to chat. The conversation went like this...

Anna: "So, Poppy was sick?"
Nana: "Yes, he has Pneumonia."
Anna: "Is that the disease where he can't remember things?"
Nana: "No, that is Alzheimer's."

Apparently another man was walking by, hearing this and got a little chuckle.

Later in the day Nana and I were helping Anna make clothes for her paper dolls at the kitchen table and Kris & Poppy were heading to Lowe's, but before they left my Dad looked at my Mom and asked her

Poppy: "What time did I take my pills? Is it time to take more?"
Nana: "You don't remember? At about 1:30."

The guys left and we continued making doll clothes. My Mom and I were chatting about the fact that Poppy has been a little forgetful, and without hesitation...

Anna: "See, he does have that, Alzheimer's, he can't remember stuff!"
Tricia: "No, he just has CRS"
Anna: "What is CRS?"
Nana: "Can't remember poop, CRP."

Poppy walks in the kitchen, immediately Anna looks at him

Anna: "Poppy, you have CRP!"

My Mom and I burst out laughing!

You just never know what Anna will come up with. I love her to pieces!

We hope you feel better soon Poppy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Love The Zip's!

Top o' the morning to you!

We had a little bit of fun this morning taking pictures.

Wishing you the Luck of the Irish!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

According to legend,
Saint Patrick used the shamrock,
a three-leaved plant,
to explain the Holy Trinity
to the pre-Christian Irish people.

The Chicago River is dyed green each year
for the St. Patrick's Day celebration.

This is so cool to see!

Spring looks for Mason & Anna

Today was haircut day!!!!! Did you know short hair is in?

Mason went from Shag to Smart - glasses and all.

Anna is sporting a new look with a few missing teeth!

Making Icing, a "Royal" Process

Where to begin... I guess I need to decide what icing recipe to use????
There are SO many out there to pick from.

Some of the icing recipes call for cream of tartar, some call for Crisco and light Karo corn syrup, and some recipes have none of these, but all the recipes for Royal Icing seem to call for meringue powder. Finally, I decided to go with a recipe from The Decorated Cookie that called for Crisco and light Karo corn syrup mainly because this icing claimed to set with out becoming rock hard, as traditional Royal Icing.
The Decorated Cookie's Royal Icing

Royal Icing (sort of):

Note: This frosting is similar to royal icing, but I add shortening and flavoring to make it taste delicious. Thus, it dries hard enough to handle and pack when left overnight, but not rock hard, like traditional royal icing. The consistency is NOT the runny kind used for flooding. It's stiffer. Take a spoonful, turn it over the bowl. The frosting should cling to the spoon and slowly fall into the bowl. That's the right consistency.

4 tblsp meringue powder (available at many supermarkets and in most craft stores)
1/2 cup water
7-8 cups confectioner's sugar (may need more or less, see the consistency advice above)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tblsp Crisco
2 Tblsp light corn syrup

Whip the meringue powder and water on high speed for a looooong time, several minutes, until it's fluffy and peaks form (use an electric hand beater or the wire whisk of your standing mixer). Gradually add the rest of the ingredients to desired consistency. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a month.

The process of making icing is definitely a process. A lot of learning in this step of the cookie decorating adventure. Getting the consistency just right is a bit tricky, especially, when you really have no idea what the "right consistency" should look like. Mason even helped me out. Then I moved onto coloring some of the icing green, I used Kelly Green gel coloring.

Icing is made, some is white and some is green. Now I am ready to load it into the disposable decorating bags and the squeeze bottles. I think I did a pretty good job with this step, no major mishaps. I used tips #2 and #3 for this project. I then gathered the recommended decorating tools and supplies. Trays, paper plates, and sprinkles. The traditional sugar sprinkles worked out great! BUT, the White ones, that look like little balls - they are not as much fun! At least not for this project, they do not behave the same as the sugar sprinkles, they roll and bounce and go EVERYWHERE you do not want them to go. Needless to say they only made in on one cookie.

Before I started I looked online at a few design options, but not knowing how this icing stuff would work for me I decided to just wing it. I wanted to experiment a little with the different colors and sprinkles.

Here are a few of my favorites from
my first batch of real decorated sugar cookies.

They taste good too, there are only a few left!
Happy St. Patrick's Day 2011

Cookie Crafting - giving it a try.

Starting with baby steps...
I did watch the DVD about cake decorating, learned a little. Then I did a bit more internet research on types and recipes for icing specifically for cookie decorating. It seems that there are a few differences in the icings used for cake and cookie decorating.

I decided to take a trip to Michael's & Wegmans to pick up a few frosting supplies. In an effort to save time today, I used a Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix that I already had in the pantry.

I followed the directions EXACTLY! So who can tell me what is the big difference between salted and unsalted butter? How does this change things when baking? Maybe I should Google it?

I decided to start with a lucky shamrock shape. I think the baking seemed to go okay - I know, not super confident.

It's just that the edges of the cookies are a little more "golden"
than I would like, some more so than other. I cold blame that on...

1. My oven does not heat evenly. Post-baking research says...I should have an oven thermometer to tell me exactly what temperature the oven is, not just what I set it at.
2. I should not use the convection oven with the same temperatures and times. I am still looking into this, more research pending.
3. I should not have baked on insulated cookie sheets. I learned this from my post-baking research oops! Something about high butter content in the cookies melting too fast? I won't do that again.
4. I should have used a "Real" cookie recipe. There seem to be a lot of them out there to pick from.
OR
5. I was not paying close enough attention to the timing. Always a possibility when you are multi-tasking in the kitchen. My multi-tasking often leads to no garlic bread with our spaghetti and meatballs, "Mom, the bread is burning!"

Well I am learning, a little at a time, and so far I love the process!

Before I packed the cookies away for the night, I did a little research...they are cooled and tucked away safely in an airtight container. More on cookie storage can be found here.

I think tomorrow I will get out the frosting supplies and we will see what happens with that? No matter what this hobby rocks because I get to wear my pretty aprons, and I LOVE that!

Stay tuned!

Maybe, I can decorate cookies as a hobby?

I am a "Dabbler." I do a little of this and a little of that. I have tried out a few hobbies here and there, but I have not really stuck with any of them. A long time ago I liked to do counted cross-stitch.

This is my favorite and largest cross-stitch project I made.
Precious Moments - Just Married!

I tried to learn how to crochet from my Mom (she is amazing at it) - that was terrible. I was "a scrap booker" for a while - I still have to keep up with the kids "Baby books" but otherwise I'm over that, even though I have a great collection of supplies. Most recently I have tried my hand at painting pottery. I do like do that, it is something I can do on my own or with the kids. The creative outlet is very refreshing to me. I can not draw very well, but I like coloring (yes, coloring in coloring books) so this seemed to work out for me. Color Me Mine and Mud About You have great tools and ideas to work from. I am not going to give up painting pottery, it is a little expensive and I am not always free when they are open.

This is a light switch cover that I made! One of my favorite projects.
I used lace to make the background pattern.

Now I am considering cookie decorating as a hobby. Well, maybe I am further along than considering it. I guess I should start at the beginning ...

We were at our friend's house for dinner the weekend before Valentine's Day and Christine was finishing up her cookie baking as we arrived. We got to chatting, she showed me a booked she picked up at Jo-Ann Fabrics on clearance after Christmas - Wilton Cookie Exchange. I leafed through it and was very impressed, there were so many beautiful designs, some very simple and some very intricate. Christine told me about parent who had given her beautiful homemade cookies and how much she enjoyed that. Now she has started to teach herself the art of cookie decorating with hearts for Valentine's Day. I think to myself ....

Maybe you could do this Tricia. You have AT LEAST 50 cookie cutters. You could make cookies that are safe and fun for Mason. Cookies make nice gifts, well, if you get good at it? What are you talking about you have enough on your plate, do you really have time to decorate cookies? You are a Personal Trainer and cookie decorating doesn't seem like a great match for your career, right? Well, I do like going to paint pottery, so what's the big difference, decorate clay or cookie, right?

Okay done thinking to myself and I enjoy the rest of the evening. A few days go by and I decided to take action. I will learn about cookie decorating before I make and rash decisions. The first thing I did was go to Jo-Ann Fabrics and just browse the aisles where all the supplies are. WOW, who knew about all this "stuff?" I found things that I didn't even know existed. I am not completely new, I watch a little Cake Boss, I know about Fondant, but what in the world is Gum Paste?

Go home and Google "Gum Paste" and how is it different from fondant?

The simple answer is that you use fondant to cover a cake and you use gum paste to make flowers and bows.

A few days later the kids and I went to the Webster Public Library. I checked out a huge pike of books. Some of the books were about cake decorating, cookie decorating, cookie baking, candy making. I looked through my findings in depth at home for a few days. I was starting to warm up to this cookie idea, now I want to own my own books. Lucky me, my Barnes Noble Groupon covered my first investment, a book, Cookie Craft.

I also got a copy of Wilton Cookie Exchange book and the Wilton Cake Decorating Basics DVD. I still have to watch that, I am thinking it will help? Well, it can't hurt.

Cookie Craft walked me through the preparation process ...Time to take inventory. What supplies do I have? What supplies do I need to buy? This past Saturday I did just that and now I have a spreadsheet - cookie cutters sizes and shapes! Just for the record I have 97 Cookie cutters. Holiday ones, race cars, dinosaurs, butterflies, t-shirt, dress, hat, purse, shoe, flowers, and a whole bunch more. I also have recorded my frosting tips with what shapes they should make, if you get good at it?

I have spent a little time online looking at different websites and blogs to gather any tips or information I can. I am more interested in this possibility as my research has continued, but I am also a little nervous as it could turn into one GIANT mess. I decided to press on, you cannot give up before you have even tried.

I have reviewed the variety of cookie and frosting recipes in my books and online. I have made a list of ingredients and hope to make it to the store to pick them up soon. In the meantime I think should watch that DVD?

If you have any helpful hints, PLEASE share!
Stay tuned on where this idea goes.

Dear Tooth Fairy...Love Anna

Losing her baby teeth has been a bit troubling for our little Miss Anna - she has never really liked the whole idea - not even the cash helped. Regardless they are falling out ... Anna lost her bottom front teeth last year and now a few more...
Here is Round 2, Tooth #1

info from - http://www.toothfairyland.com

Round 2, Tooth #2

Round 2, Tooth #3

Lets Go Buffalo...Sabres!

We recently attended our family's first Buffalo Sabres Game!

2-1
FINAL

Family Recap: Before the game we ate lunch with Jean & John! Then we headed off to our seats, and they were GREAT SEATS too! We sat - Kris, Mason, Tricia, Anna, Jean, & John. Jean's seat is one of the BEST in the house and she let me sit in it. I heard she doesn't give this seat up very often - I am pretty lucky, THANK YOU!

Mason was doing a great job following the game, a few questions here and there... Are the penalties all 2 minutes? What is icing? What is hooking? What is Cross-checking? Why did we pull the Goalie? Mason even continued to ask questions and learn more about hockey after the game! What a great new experience.

Anna was taking it all in! She was thrilled to be sitting next to "Miss Jean." Anna loved trying to find the team mascot, Sabretooth, as he traveled through the arena. The best part was when the Buffalo Sabres scored... I, along with 95% of the other people jumped to my feet with joy and SCREAMED, that was quickly followed by LOUD horns, and more screaming and yelling. Well, Anna had NO IDEA what was happening and FREAKED OUT, she was scared to tears :( After a little comforting she was all better and enjoyed the rest of the game. The next day she said she was mad the Sabres did not score again, "The first time they scored I wasn't ready for those horns, but now I know, and I was READY!"

We all had a GREAT time, just a little bummed that our home team lost. Thank you Jean & John for all the FUN!

Here is the game recap!

Valentine's Day with my little Valentine

Valentine's Day 2011!

Sunday, February 13th Mason and I had our annual Mommy-Mason Date while Kris and Anna enjoyed their Daddy-Daughter Date.

Mason was up early Sunday morning ready to get started with our date. Our first stop was Target in Webster. We needed to do a little shopping - some how Mason outgrew his shirts overnight - time to pick out a few new ones! We also spent some time looking through the toy department and the video games!

Next we headed off to Henrietta - Mecca for Mason - Toys 'R Us!

Mason was in his glory, not only did we not spend one second looking at the "girl stuff" we did not even walk through that part of the store! We spent post of our time looking at Legos, specifically Lego Ninjago!

Of course we made a purchase, Mason was the proud owner of Lego Ninjgo and I was about to learn the art of Spinjitzu!

After we made our purchase Mason and I headed off to McDonald's for a little lunch. Good news we did not take long to eat our food so we had time to play a little Ninjago!

After lunch we had to head over to the JCC CenterStage to see a TYKES performance "Fancy Nancy, Duck for President and Other Story Books." Kris and Anna joined us for the show.

After the show, Mason and I headed over to one of our favorite places...Barnes & Noble in Pittsford. We tooks some time to look at books and share a hot chocolate.

Mommy-Mason Date 2011 was LOTS of FUN, now we will look forward to 2012!!!

Mason is such a sweet boy and he is growing up so fast! It seem like just yesterday he was a little baby!

I love you, Mason! Here is "My Wish" for you as you grow up.

My Wish by Rascal Flatts
Songwriters: Steele, Jeffrey; Robson, Steve;



I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow
And each road leads you where you want to go
And if you're faced with the choice and you have to choose
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you

And if one door opens to another door closed
I hope you keep on walkin' ?til you find the window
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile
But more than anything, more than anything

My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold

And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish

I hope you never look back but you never forget
All the ones who love you and the place you left
I hope you always forgive and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get

Oh, you'd find God's grace in every mistake
And always give more than you take
But more than anything, yeah more than anything

My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold

And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish, yeah yeah

My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold

And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish
(My wish for you)

This is my wish
(My wish for you)
I hope you know somebody loves you
(My wish for you)
May all your dreams stay big
(My wish for you)